Eyes of the Soul
by operation meteor
Summary: Passing beyond the veil, Itachi Uchiha finds himself in an afterlife that is far from the eternal damnation he'd steeled himself for. With a chance encounter involving a certain pervy sage, a Flash Goddess and a healer whose angelic appearance hides more than a hint of steel, the bane of the Uchiha Clan finds a chance at a second life... and perhaps redemption.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** Hello there! For those of you who are long-time readers of my work, I imagine you got quite the surprise when you saw a brand-new story appear on my profile. Before you all start panicking about this impacting my work on my other two ongoing fics, please allow me a moment to explain myself.

First of all, I've actually been working on this story for almost a year now. I wanted to get several chapters done before I actually started posting. I've been working on it side by side with Destiny's Call and The Pirate's Soldier, and I've achieved a comfortable balance between the three stories. Three at a time I can do, no more than that, which is why from here on out I will not post any new stories until one of the current three that I am working on is complete. Given my penchant for very long stories, I'm sure my veteran readers can guess that it'll be quite some time before I reach that point!

When I fist started writing fanfic years ago, I had this balance that I wanted to achieve. It consisted of three different types of stories; sci-fi, sci-fi/fantasy hybrid, and fantasy. My Gundam Wing/Seed crossover series fits the bill for the first category, while The Pirate's Soldier fills the second slot. That just left fantasy itself, and with this new story I can finally have all three up and running.

Another quick note before we actually begin; this story will be treating the spirit energy of souls and Soul Reapers as distinct from the chakra wielded by ninjas. Yes, I am well aware that chakra in the Naruto-verse is composed of a blend of spiritual energy and physical energy. That still remains true, it's just that in this story the spirit energy wielded by those who exist as souls will have its own characteristic as opposed to the kind that composes chakra. This will be explored later on in the fic.

One last thing before we start; although it won't be apparent right away, this version of the Soul Society will differ from the one in the canon Bleach universe substantially when it comes to its history and lore. It may not seem like a big deal at this point, but later on in the story it will play a much more impactful role. So, for those who are canon purists, this is your warning; there will be changes big and small, and I doubt they'll be to your liking.

Traditional disclaimer; I don't own Bleach or Naruto. I'm writing this for the sake of fun, nothing more.

Enjoy!

 **Eyes of the Soul**

 **Chapter One: The Other Side**

 **150 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town**

The first thing he felt was a gentle breeze on his face and a soothing carpet of cool grass beneath him. He could hear birds chirping nearby, along with the gentle murmur of a running river. The pain that had wracked his body before was completely gone, and the young man had to pinch himself to make sure that his senses weren't playing tricks on him. He cautiously opened his eyes and was forced to raise his arm to shield himself from the glare of the morning sun.

All of this was a far cry from what he last remembered. Prior to being claimed by darkness, he could vividly recall a decimated and ruined battlefield even though he had been damn-near blind in that final and brutal confrontation. It had not been grass beneath him then, but stone rubble; the blasted remains of the Uchiha Clan hideout. There had been no pleasant breeze or clear sky, but a torrential downpour combined with the searing heat from the hellfire that was Amaterasu.

 _Is this truly the great beyond?_ , thought the young man as his gaze adjusted to the light of the blazing orb in the blue sky, _I assumed my final destination would be a sea of fire and vengeful wraiths…_

The fact that his vision was now perfectly clear would seem to support the fact that he had passed over to the other side; his eyesight had been all but spent by the time his fateful clash with his younger brother had come. There was also a distinct lack of the aches in his chest from the disease that had previously ravaged his body, and he didn't feel like he was about to start coughing up blood anytime soon. Patting himself down, he didn't feel any of the wounds that he had sustained in the fight either, which seemed to support his belief that he had left the mortal coil behind.

Looking around, he found himself standing in what looked like a small clearing. Just like his ears had suggested earlier, there was a river nearby. His throat suddenly felt dry, so the young man went over to it and scooped up some water.

Studying his reflection on the surface of the river, Itachi Uchiha appeared no worse for the wear. His raven hair, tied back in a low ponytail, was perfectly in order, and there were no blemishes or wounds upon his fair skin. Onyx eyes peered back at him from the surface of the water, and he could perceive them in great detail. The black and red Akatsuki jacket he had worn over the past several years was gone, as was the slashed Hidden Leaf Village shinobi headband, but the grey-blue shirt and pants that had been under the aforementioned coat looked quite clean. His sandals appeared good as new too, and to top it off he still had his chain and circlet necklace as well.

"Am I truly dead?" he murmured as he looked around, "This is not quite what I imagined Hell would look like…"

Out of curiosity, his gaze returned to the river as he tried to call upon the unique ocular jutsu that was the hallmark of the Uchiha Clan; the Sharingan. However, the eyes of his reflection on the water remained onyx; there were no crimson orbs or black tomoe orbiting the pupil. He did not feel the surge of power and heightened perception that typically accompanied activating the Sharingan, either. Even with his eyesight as deteriorated as it had become over the years through extensive use of the ocular jutsu's more advanced form, the Mangekyou Sharingan, he had always felt an increase in strength and a sense of precognition each time he had activated the Kekkei Genkai. There was none of that here now, though. His sight was clear, but his Sharingan would not appear.

 _Looks like you don't take it with you when you die_ , he mused, _I wonder if it might be better this way…_

While the Sharingan had been the key to the great power of the Uchiha Clan, Itachi had often wondered in life whether or not that strength was a double-edged sword. When used justly, it granted the wielder the power to defend their friends, family, and village. It was an invaluable asset to those who would use it in the name of peace and justice, but far too often its great gifts had led to arrogance. Too many members of the Uchiha Clan had become wrapped up in pride in their abilities, and that wasn't even getting into the infamous Curse of Hatred that came with the ocular jutsu. Itachi had managed to stay rooted in his beliefs and his mission, thus resisting the all-too-often tragic slide into vengeance and fury that those of the Uchiha bloodline found themselves in, but he had never been blind to the possibility that he might go down that dark path. Even if he had resisted the Curse of Hatred, he knew better than to think that that absolved him of the great crimes that he had committed with the power of the Sharingan.

Far too many had died because of him. If there had been any comfort at the end of his life, it was only the knowledge that with his death his younger brother would have the chance to start anew. Sasuke Uchiha could return to the Village Hidden in the Leaves as a hero for killing the man who had murdered nearly the entire Uchiha Clan, thus saving their family name from complete disgrace. Itachi could also take solace in the fact that he had purged the curse mark of Orochimaru from Sasuke's body, thus freeing his younger brother from the sick grip that the fallen Sanin had had upon him. As a bonus, Itachi was sure that following the battle Sasuke would awaken his own Mangekyou Sharingan, and that would provide him with a powerful new means to defend himself in the future.

Even with that in mind, though, could Itachi truly rest easy? He was all too aware of the hatred that had built up in Sasuke over the years, and Itachi had done his little brother no favors in that regard. Now that Itachi had fallen, would Sasuke's thirst for vengeance truly be satisfied, or would it seek out a new target? There was the very real chance that the Curse of Hatred could consume Sasuke, and that would make everything Itachi had done up until that fateful duel at the Uchiha Clan hideout utterly meaningless.

If Sasuke succumbed to the Curse, would there be any hope of saving him?

An image of a blond boy flashed through Itachi's mind. He was Sasuke's age, and so full of fire, determination… and hope.

And he was where Itachi would place _his_ hope.

 _Naruto Uzumaki._

A very small smile appeared on Itachi's face. It had been so long since he had shown anyone the slightest measure of trust, but his gut feeling was that his faith in the keeper of the Nine Tails Fox would not be misplaced.

 _Should the worst come to pass…_

 _…I shall leave Sasuke's fate in your hands, Naruto._

Dusting himself off, Itachi took another look around, studying his new environment. Apart from the clearing and the river he was surrounded mostly by trees, but there appeared to be the outskirts of some kind of settlement not too far downstream.

 _Well, I suppose there's nowhere better for me to start. It's time to get moving._

The life that Itachi Uchiha, notorious rogue ninja and Akatsuki member but in actuality a loyal shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, had been born into had come to an end.

It was time for him to begin his afterlife.

….

 **Two weeks later…**

"Thank you," said Itachi as he accepted a handful of coins from the elderly shopkeeper.

The old man smiled. "You're quite welcome. I haven't had an errand runner as efficient as you in a long time. It's nice to have some quality help around here, and you certainly earn your keep."

When he'd first stumbled into the settlement he had noticed two weeks ago, Itachi had been stunned to realized that what he had seen was just the edge of a truly gargantuan city the likes of which he had never seen before. The clearing that he had woken up in was actually just one of the small stretches of wilderness that were allowed to grow between districts of what was otherwise a monumental urban sprawl. He had wandered through the city aimlessly for two days as he'd struggled to get his bearings, having to assemble bits and pieces of knowledge from overheard gossip and a few questions to passersby.

He would truly have been lost forever were it not for a lucky break. On his second night in the city, as he'd been searching for somewhere to sleep for the night he'd wound up outside a general store. There had been a commotion coming from inside it, and upon investigation Itachi had discovered a handful of thugs attempting to rob the place after roughing up the proprietor. Recognizing a golden opportunity to make an impression and gain a potential source of information regarding this strange afterlife, Itachi had attacked the would-be robbers and brought them down in a matter of seconds. In doing so he had learned several valuable lessons; his skills in taijutsu remained as sharp as ever, he was still quite capable of sneaking up on a target, and he was no longer capable of calling upon the genjutsu and ninjutsu powers that he had employed while he was alive. That didn't mean he was completely powerless, though; he could sense some form of new energy within him, similar to chakra but at the same time distinctly different, but he lacked the knowledge necessary to fully understand it.

After Itachi had sent the punks packing and seen to the proprietor's bumps and bruises, the old man had offered him a place to stay for the night. Itachi had gratefully accepted the offer, and it was a most fortuitous one as well; he had felt himself growing hungry as he had wandered the city, which had struck him as very strange since this was supposed to be the afterlife and it did not make sense for him to still require food. The proprietor had fed him while at the same time offering Itachi some valuable information regarding his new condition.

The first order of business had been to find out just where he had wound up, and the proprietor had happily provided that information; he was in the Rukon District, sometimes referred to as the Wandering Soul City. To narrow things down, Itachi learned that he was currently in Western Rukon, District 37. The Rukon District was divided into four main districts, North, South, East, and West, and each of those four districts were then broken down into 80 smaller divisions, making for 320 in total. Itachi had gotten lucky; according to the proprietor, standards of living declined the higher the District's number was, with the descent into poverty especially noticeable beyond District 50.

The former Shinobi also learned that he was actually in the minority as far as his need for food was concerned. It was true that all souls in what the proprietor told him was the known as the Soul Society could partake in meals and indeed enjoyed them, but it was only those with active spirit energy that could truly experience hunger. The revelation that Itachi had that spirit energy had been quickly followed by an alarming incident; the old man had suddenly keeled over halfway through his explanation. Itachi had moved forward to help, but the proprietor had held out a hand to keep him back. The cause of the old man's collapse had been the pressure exerted by the spirit energy leaking out of Itachi, and moving closer would only make things worse. After a moment, the proprietor had managed to right himself, and while he tried to make light of the incident Itachi still felt terrible about it and had made to leave. The old man had stopped him though, claiming that he would only need a little bit of time to adjust to what he called Itachi's spiritual pressure, although Itachi could detect a hint of doubt in the proprietor's voice. Still, the old man had insisted on letting Itachi remain at least for the night as a means of repaying him for throwing out the punks, so Itachi had politely accepted the offer with the full intention of leaving as soon as dawn broke.

As it turned out, though, the old man had risen before Itachi, and had asked him to move some goods to a customer since his usual daily labor was running late. Not having anything better to do and realizing that this would be a good chance to learn how to properly navigate the Rukon District, Itachi performed the errand as requested. He had not been expecting payment, which had made it all the more surprising when the old man had given him a handful of coins upon his return. Not only that, but the old man had offered him a job right there on the spot; apparently Itachi's delivery time had beaten those of the regular helpers by a considerable margin even though Itachi had literally just arrived in the Soul Society and was still trying to get his bearings. Figuring that it would be good to have at least a temporary source of income while he tried to acclimate to his new environment, Itachi accepted the job. He continued to live at the old man's shop while running errands for him, but he did his best to keep some measure of distance between him and his new employer in order to avoid causing the proprietor to collapse again. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done; the radius affected by Itachi's spiritual pressure seemed to fluctuate randomly, and it got even worse when he tried to sleep.

Of course, the violent nightmares he had whenever he attempted to get some shuteye probably weren't helping matters.

Over the course of his errands for the shopkeeper it was inevitable that his gaze would soon fall upon what appeared to be a fortified region that seemed to be at the very heart of this vast city. Upon inquiry, the proprietor had told him what it was; the Seireitei, or the Court of Pure Souls. It was the heart of the Soul Society, the capital city of the afterlife, home to both its rulers and its guardians, the Soul Reapers. The shopkeeper had never been inside personally, but he had a few acquaintances who were allowed entry, and from the tales they had relayed to him Itachi gained a glimpse at what he realized was a startling gap in security and comfort between the Seireitei and the Rukon District. Clearly the afterlife was not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, and while Itachi had further questions it soon became apparent that the proprietor would not be able to give him satisfactory answers. Itachi resolved to learn more at a later date, but for now he would focus on his current duties as an errand runner while settling in to his 'life' in the great beyond.

"Something on your mind, lad?" asked the shopkeeper.

Itachi shook his head. "It's nothing important. Are there any more packages that require delivery today?"

"Just one," the proprietor replied as he pointed to a sack of rice, "Do you mind hauling that over to the bar down by the river? I know it's close to sundown, but I promised the establishment's owner that we'd have this load delivered before the day was out."

"I'll handle it," said Itachi as he grabbed the bag and effortlessly hefted it over his shoulder.

The old man smiled. "Thank you, Itachi. I know I've said this before, but you're a good sort. I bet your parents were mighty proud of you back when you were still alive.

Itachi averted his gaze; family was not a matter he liked to discuss, and if the proprietor knew just what he had done in his past life he would understand that quite well. "I'd best get moving. I'll likely be back late, so don't wait up for me. I can grab something to eat on the way back, so don't worry about me when you make dinner."

The shopkeeper nodded. "All right, then. Take care of yourself, Itachi. West Rukon District 37 is a fair place, but as you know it can still get a little rough after dark. Don't do anything foolish."

Itachi nodded as he set out. "I'll be careful."

His journey to the bar was for the most part uneventful. Itachi always made an effort to put some distance between himself and other people just in case his spirit energy started flaring up again. He wished that there was a way for him to properly control it, but since he was still trying to work out the differences between it and chakra he still had a long way to go before he could prevent his spiritual pressure from posing a hazard to the people around him.

 _The old man mentioned before that Soul Reapers learn to control their spiritual pressure_ , he mused, _I wonder what sort of exercises are required in order to achieve that…_

He was getting close to his objective when the instincts that had been finely honed over years of experience as a shinobi told him that he was being followed. Surreptitiously looking around as he continued his journey, he caught a glimpse of a cloaked figure before they disappeared behind a building. About a block later he managed to catch another glimpse of the same figure, and a little further down the road he had his third spotting. That was far too many times to be mere coincidence; he was definitely being tailed. What's more, the third time he actually felt a faint pulse of spiritual pressure come from his pursuer.

Was it one of the punks from two weeks ago out for payback? That was the first possibility that came to mind, but after a moment Itachi discarded it. None of the thugs from the robbery attempt at the shop had exerted any kind of spiritual pressure that Itachi could perceive during their brief skirmish. A couple blocks later he felt another pulse from his pursuer. It didn't feel like a deliberate probe, and Itachi guessed that whoever was following him did not have complete control over their spiritual pressure.

 _So we're on even ground as far as that's concerned_ , he thought, _I should still be cautious…_

He completed his delivery a few minutes later, but rather than head back to the shop for the night he went behind the bar towards the river. Itachi had no intention of involving the proprietor with his pursuer; he would deal with whoever was following him on his own.

Putting his back to the river, his eyes narrowed as he braced himself for a confrontation. "I know you're there. What business do you have with me?"

The cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows, and Itachi heard a shockingly familiar voice reply with a chuckle. "Well, that depends…"

 _It cannot be_ , thought Itachi, stunned as the figure lowered their cloak, _The odds of us meeting in an environment as vast as the Rukon District are less than a billion to one…_

Probability could be damned here, though. Itachi knew that there was no mistaking who he was faced with. The tall and toned figure, waist-length spiky white hair tied in a ponytail, fair skin and red lines descending from his dark eyes were unmistakable. He was lacking the red haori from their last encounter, but he still wore the same green short shirt kimono and matching pants from before, along with a pair of wooden sandals. There was a humorous light in his eyes, but Itachi knew that it could become quite menacing should the occasion call for it, and given the circumstances under which they had last met it would not surprise him if that happened here.

Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, gave him a piercing glare. "On whether or not you harmed my apprentice before you died, Itachi Uchiha."

 **Author's Notes:** And with that, the story is officially under way! I won't be doing my typical 'Preview for next time' segments with this story; I felt like changing up my formula a bit and want to keep my audience guessing a little more with this fic. Also, a quick word on Itachi's Sharingan, or lack thereof; it's not actually gone. It's only dormant, although it'll be some time before he'll be able to actually awaken it. So don't panic, he'll be showing off those awesome Uchiha eyes eventually.

Since I've actually got several chapters already done, I'll be releasing them over a spread-out period. This'll also give me more time to work on the current one that I'm trying to complete. Chapter Two will follow this one shortly, but after that I'll be spacing out releases more.

Hope you've enjoyed this taste of the adventure to come! Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:** Hey, two chapters up in less than 24 hours, that's new for me! Joking aside, as I mentioned in the previous chapter I've already got several of these already done. I wanted to get the first two out quickly, but I'll be slowing up the release schedule for the rest; got to give myself time for further writing and editing, after all.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Two: Fateful Encounter**

Itachi's mind was racing as he rapidly assessed the situation. Since Jiraiya was here that obviously meant that he had died, and the list of people capable of taking down one of the Legendary Sannin was very small. Itachi had a few guesses as to who might've ultimately done the deed, but learning that was a secondary concern at this point. He knew that Jiraiya had perceived him to be an enemy when they were both alive, and not without reason; Itachi had been a member of the Akatsuki, a group that had sought to collect all of the Tailed Beasts, meaning that they had posed a direct threat to Naruto Uzumaki, Jiraiya's last disciple.

To make matters worse, the last time they had met in person, Itachi had been infiltrating the Village Hidden in the Leaves with his partner in the Akatsuki, Kisame Hoshigaki, with the purpose of their mission ostensibly being to capture Naruto. That had indeed been Kisame's intention, but not Itachi's; his had only been to serve as a warning to Danzō Shimura and the elders that governed the Village Hidden in the Leaves that he was still alive and would turn against them should they threaten Sasuke. Unfortunately, Jiraiya had not been privy to that knowledge or the fact that he was actually a double agent for the Hidden Leaf Village. As far as the Sannin was concerned, Itachi was nothing more than a murderer. He would have to play his cards with great care if he wanted to avoid a violent confrontation.

"You may understandably find this hard to believe," said Itachi, "but it was never my intention to bring any harm whatsoever to your student, Lord Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked. "Do you really think that throwing a fancy title in front of my name will make me any more inclined to trust your word? I know damn well that the Akatsuki were hunting the Tailed Beasts and extracting them from their hosts, killing those hosts in the process, and so do you."

"I do not deny it," Itachi replied calmly, "but I never once desired that fate for Naruto."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "Really? You had a funny way of showing it, sneaking into the Leaf Village with your partner like that and picking a fight with the Jōnin. You really worked over Kakashi in that little skirmish, you know."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "If you recall that engagement, then you may also remember that all of the Leaf Shinobi that came to the scene survived the encounter, including Kakashi. I was fully capable of killing him and his comrades, and I imagine that you were well aware of that at the time. Did you ever wonder why I let them live?"

The Sannin had an incredible degree of control and discipline, but even so he could not hide from Itachi the oh-so-subtle shift in his brow; he was genuinely considering what Itachi had just told him. "Now that you mention it, I did find that strange… but you could've done that just to throw us off guard. You always were a crafty one, after all."

"Do not confuse me with Orochimaru," said Itachi, "I do not engage in psychological warfare for my own amusement, for starters."

"Maybe," Jiraiya replied, "but you murdered your own parents simply to test your power; not even Orochimaru went that far."

Itachi shook his head. "It is true that I killed them along with the rest of the Uchiha Clan, but it was not to test my power. The last thing I wanted was to harm any of them. If there had been another path to what I truly wanted, then I would've taken it."

Jiraiya seemed a bit taken aback by this. Itachi could feel the veteran Shinobi studying him intently. He did his best to keep his breathing calm. If it did come down to a fight, he did not know if he could win. His Sharingan was gone, as were the repertoire of ninjutsu and genjutsu that he had built up over the years. He had no way of knowing if Jiraiya had been similarly depowered, and even if that were the case that did not change the fact that the Sannin was known to be a strong physical combatant. Itachi believed that he might have a slight edge in speed over the sage, but he knew that Jiraiya was both powerful and cunning. A fight would be an absolute last resort, and if it came down to it Itachi would do everything in his power to withdraw before things went too far.

 _I don't know if souls can die_ , he mused darkly, _and I'd rather avoid finding out firsthand if possible…_

His thoughts were interrupted by a spine-chilling roar the likes of which he had never heard before. He saw Jiraiya's eyes widen slightly, but unlike Itachi there seemed to be a sense of comprehension in his gaze.

"No…" said the Sannin softly, "Not here…"

There was a rustling coming from the tree-line across the river, and a few moments later a black ape-like creature the size of a single-story house burst out into the open. Itachi's eyes were drawn to two distinctive features; a gaping circular hole in the monstrosity's chest and white death mask where a face should've been.

"What is that thing?" asked Itachi as he shifted into a fighting stance.

"That," said Jiraiya grimly, "is a Hollow."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly at the word. The proprietor had mentioned that one of the duties of Soul Reapers was to fight unholy creatures called Hollows, but the old man had never described what one actually looked like. He also recalled the shopkeeper claiming that Hollows devoured souls, and a sickening feeling in Itachi's gut told him that his earlier musings regarding the possibility of souls dying actually had a chance of being tested tonight.

"Have you seen this thing before?" asked Itachi.

"Not this exact one," said Jiraiya, "but one similar to it attacked me when I first arrived here. It was all I could do to escape, although if I could still use ninjutsu it'd be another matter."

The Hollow appeared to be studying Itachi and Jiraiya at the moment, but the young man had a feeling that would change soon enough. Jiraiya's statement also confirmed to Itachi that the Sannin had been depowered in a manner similar to him. His gaze narrowed as he realized that there was only one way out of this mess.

"Lord Jiraiya," he said quickly, "If what you say is true, then our only chance for survival here is by working together."

Jiraiya's eyes widened a bit as he grasped the full weight behind Itachi's statement. "Wait a minute… you mean that you…"

Itachi nodded. "My Sharingan is gone, as is my ability to utilize ninjutsu and genjutsu. Taijutsu is the only weapon remaining in my arsenal, and it would seem that the same is true for you. Cooperation is our only viable option, especially if we are to prevent this Hollow from attacking the residents of this area."

"Why would you care about the people who live here?" asked Jiraiya.

"If we make it through this, you may yet get the chance to find out," Itachi replied hastily, "What will it be, Lord Jiraiya?"

He was surprised to see the sage smirk. "All right, I'll play along. Let's see what you've got without your Sharingan, Itachi."

Itachi nodded. The time for talk was over; the beast across the river looked ready to pounce. Deciding that offense would be the key to survival, Itachi made the first move. Surging forward, he darted across a series of rocks jutting out from the water and made it to the other side of the river in a matter of seconds. He didn't even need to look over his shoulder to know that Jiraiya was right behind him.

"This thing must have a weak point," he said, "Let's find it."

Jiraiya nodded. "Break right; I'll take the left."

Itachi did as Jiraiya said, and the Hollow moved right for him. The beast took a swing with one of its tree-trunk thick arms, but the strike was sloppy and Itachi was able to evade it. He seized the opportunity by leaping up onto the Hollow's arm and running across it. Reaching the creature's shoulder in a matter of moments, Itachi proceeded to punch the Hollow right in the neck.

The Hollow roared, and for a moment Itachi thought he might've hit a vein or some other vulnerable spot. However, the beast moved its arm to swat him from its shoulder a second later; it seemed more annoyed with him than anything else. Itachi flipped and managed to land on his feet, and as he did so Jiraiya charged in, slamming his fist into the Hollow's gut.

The creature bellowed and doubled over; it appeared that Jiraiya had actually done some damage to the beast. Unfortunately, it was not nearly enough to bring the Hollow down for good. It lurched forward, its jaws snapping as it tried to rip Jiraiya in half with its teeth. The sage backflipped to get out of the way, and Itachi used the Hollow's distraction to move in again. This time his target was where he guessed the creature's collarbone would be, and he brought his foot down in a hard kick. Once again, the Hollow screamed, but the creature's hide was tough, and Itachi could tell that he hadn't come close to doing serious damage.

However, Itachi's efforts were not in vain. Using the former Akatsuki's move as a distraction, Jiraiya charged in again. Swinging his fist in a vicious right hook, he caught the Hollow right on the jaw. There was an audible 'crack', and Itachi saw a small set of fissures appear on the lower left portion of the beast's mask.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, that's a start."

Itachi nodded as he rushed in again. "Indeed. Let's build on it."

He hit the creature in the exact same spot that Jiraiya had. The tiny web of cracks began to grow, but Itachi's fist stung from the impact; the Hollow's mask was harder than its hide. He was impressed that Jiraiya's punch had done as much damage as it had.

"Take a nap!" shouted the sage as he nailed the beast on the chin with a brutal uppercut.

The Hollow staggered backwards, and Itachi seized the opening to move in again. This time he aimed for the eye-holes of the beast's mask, but before he could strike the creature suddenly started flailing around wildly with its arms. Itachi was caught in mid-air, and the heavy blow nailed him right in the torso. He was sent flying by the impact and wound up slamming right into the side of the bar that he'd made his earlier delivery to. It was all he could do to keep from losing consciousness right there on the spot. Struggling to regain his footing and massaging his chest, Itachi counted at least one cracked rib.

 _This thing has no combat training to speak of_ , he thought, _but it makes up for that with raw power fueled by primal fury. Chakra no longer flows through Jiraiya or myself; neither of us have a firm grasp on this new spirit energy that's taken its place. This is clearly an uphill fight for us…_

Itachi wasn't the only one who was injured; Jiraiya had taken a solid hit as well. The cracks on the monster's mask had grown even more, indicating a successful strike by the sage, but he had paid for it with what looked like a dislocated left shoulder. The Hollow was screaming in fury, currently consumed with pain, but Itachi doubted that would last for long. If there was any time that a withdrawal was possible, it was now.

It was tempting, but it was ultimately not an option that Itachi would take. If he withdrew it would only give the Hollow a chance to start hunting the souls of the Rukon District. It was true that Itachi didn't know any of them apart from the shopkeeper, but the fact remained that they were innocent people who had already died once, and Itachi would do everything in his power to prevent them from dying again tonight.

Much to his surprise he saw Jiraiya smirking at him. "I'll be damned."

"What?" said Itachi, his eyes narrowing as he studied the Sannin.

"I thought for sure that you'd take this chance to retreat," Jiraiya replied, "No Sharingan, no ninjutsu, no genjutsu, and you don't have a single weapon on you… and yet I can tell just from the look in your eyes that you're not going to run."

Itachi nodded firmly. "That's right. If you wish to withdraw, I shall not stop you. I will hold this beast back for as long as I can. In that time, you may be able to find reinforcements."

Jiraiya laughed. "Maybe, but I doubt I could find them before this thing tore you apart. I have no intention of letting that happen."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly. "What… why?"

"Don't get me wrong," said Jiraiya, "I've still got some bones to pick with you. However, the way you've been fighting tonight… well, if we both make it through this alive, I might just be willing to hear you out."

"You may regret that decision," said Itachi with a nod at the Hollow, "We've hurt it, but not as bad as it's hurt us."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Oh, I know that. Our backs are to the wall, no doubt there, but that's the time to fight harder than ever. If this thing wants to feast on souls tonight, it's gonna have to take mine first, and I'll be damned if I don't make it work for it."

Despite their situation, Itachi could not help but smirk ever so slightly. "Like master, like student… I didn't know Naruto that well, but from what I _do_ know it would seem that his teacher is as stubborn as he is."

Jiraiya grinned. "You got that right! So, what do you say? Shall we put this thing in the ground?"

Itachi nodded as he saw the Hollow begin to regain its composure. "Can you shatter that mask?"

"Yeah," said Jiraiya, "I just need one more good hit. I'll give it everything I've got."

"In that case," said Itachi, "I'll make the first move. Once his attention is on me, make your attack."

"Watch yourself," Jiraiya cautioned, "Another hit from that thing and you'll have more than just a cracked rib or two."

"I'm well aware of that," said Itachi, "Here goes nothing."

He raced forward, picking up a rock as he did so. As soon as the Hollow's gaze was on him he threw it as hard as he could. His missile found its mark, going right into the eye-hole in the Hollow's mask. The beast screeched in agony but was still locked onto Itachi. The former Shinobi used that to his advantage, stopping long enough to crook his finger and motion for the monster to come and get him. In its fury, the Hollow was all too vulnerable to the taunt, and it came charging headlong at Itachi. He rolled to the side at the last moment and leapt up onto the creature's back before punching with all his might at the Hollow's neck. Once again, the Hollow screamed in pain before grabbing Itachi and throwing him. This time he hit the river and skipped over the surface like a rock before coming to a halt on the opposite shore. Even as he climbed to his feet he saw the beast charging him, and this time Itachi knew he would not be able to dodge.

That was where Jiraiya came in. Just as the Hollow was about to sink its teeth into Itachi, the wandering sage nailed the monster with an insanely powerful right hook in the exact spot he and Itachi had hit it before on its mask. This was no ordinary punch; Itachi could actually perceive what looked like an aura of white spirit energy surrounding Jiraiya's fist. It didn't appear to be deliberate; the Sannin seemed to have summoned it from pure instinct.

The blow was devastating. The Hollow's mask completely shattered, and for just a moment Itachi was shocked to see what looked like a human face behind it. It was only for a moment, though; a second later the creature dissolved completely.

Itachi fell to one knee, grasping his chest as he tried to catch his breath. "How… did you… do that?"

Jiraiya started laughing as he clutched his left shoulder. "Not a damn clue, but it felt _good!_ "

 _I'll have to see if I can pull that trick off later_ , he mused, _I can't believe he was able to do that, but I'm not complaining. We actually managed to win, and that's enough for now._

Or at least it was until a series of roars nearly identical to the one that had heralded their late foe's initial appearance ripped through the night.

Itachi's face paled as his eyes turned to the tree-line. "No…"

Jiraiya shook his head. "You have _got_ to be kidding me…"

The two of them looked on as not one, not two, but _three_ more Hollows emerged from the trees. They were all as big as the one they had just killed, and of the same general body-type as well. Itachi struggled to his feet and prepared himself for another round, but he would not kid himself; with how hard it had been for the two of them to kill just _one_ of those monsters, they didn't stand a ghost of a chance against three.

And that was when a feminine voice sweeter than the finest rice wine rang out from behind the two of them. "Looks like you could use little break, boys. Mind if we tag in?"

Turning around, Itachi saw what could only be described as a goddess and an angel standing before him. The former was a slender and well-endowed woman with rich brown skin, radiant golden eyes, and neck-length purple-black hair. She was clothed in a single black sleeveless and backless uniform, with matching wrist-guards and a ribbon tied around her neck. A wakizashi with a black hilt and golden circular guard was sheathed horizontally behind her lower back, and her right hand was hovering over the handle. There was an almost playful light in her gaze, and the way she was looking at the Hollows somehow reminded Itachi of how a cat might peer at its prey just before it pounced.

As for the angel, she appeared very much as an elegant lady of compassion and grace. Her long and lustrous raven hair looped around her neck and was tied in braid that ran down the front of her body. Her eyes were a gentle shade of blue, but there was glint within them that told Itachi this woman was not to be trifled with. The black robe and white haori she wore fit loosely but still did not completely conceal her curvy and athletic figure. A full-length nodachi with an oval tsuba and red handle was tied to a string that looped over her shoulder, and like her companion her hand was held just above the handle.

The angel gave Itachi and Jiraiya a warm smile. "You needn't worry. These Hollows will be dispatched momentarily, I assure you. Please, rest for a bit. I shall examine your wounds shortly."

"You know, Unohana," said the goddess, "I can take all three of these guys; you don't have to get involved."

The angel shook her head. "I'm well aware of that, but I need to swing my blade every once in a while. It wouldn't do for a Captain to grow rusty with her swordsmanship, would you not agree, Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi smirked. "True. All right, how about this? I'll take the one on the right and the one in the middle, and you take the one on the left. Deal?"

Unohana nodded. "Very well, then."

The two women stepped forward as the trio of Hollows crossed the river and headed straight towards them. Despite the danger, the pair of ladies were completely calm. No, it was more than that; they looked utterly casual about the danger that they were walking into. They were completely confident in their abilities, and Itachi was curious to see just what they were capable of.

The trio of Hollows roared at the duo as they charged. As Itachi and Jiraiya looked on, Yoruichi seemed to flicker for just a split second before vanishing from sight altogether. She reappeared a moment later with her wakizashi drawn and thrust up through the chin of one of the Hollows. The creature had only just begun to dissolve when Yoruichi had disappeared again. A split second later she was behind the second Hollow, and in less than a blink of an eye she had thrust her blade through the back of the Hollow's head.

 _Incredible_ , thought Itachi as the second Hollow disintegrated, _It took everything Jiraiya and I had to take down one of those things, but she just killed two of them in a matter of seconds!_

The third Hollow was rushing headlong at Unohana, who drew her sword in a single fluid and elegant motion. The smile on her face was that of a teacher about to knock a troublesome student down a peg or two, and as the Hollow lurched forward with a haymaker the raven-haired angel effortlessly took its arm off with a single swing. As the beast howled in pain, Unohana almost casually removed its other arm before administering the coup de grace with a clean swing right through the monster's neck.

To his right he heard Jiraiya whistle as the last Hollow dissolved. "Pinch me… I swear I'm dreaming…"

It was a sentiment that Itachi shared. He had seen his share of powerful Shinobi in the past, but these two women were in a league of their own. Blinding speed, graceful fluidity, lethal precision… Itachi had never seen anything like it.

Yoruichi sighed as she sheathed her wakizashi. "Ah, man, that's it? That doesn't even qualify as an after-meal warmup. Guess I'll have to work off those rice balls the old-fashioned way."

"Something tells me that you'll have little difficult with that," said Unohana, "Now, I believe I have a pair of patients to examine here."

Jiraiya grinned as Unohana approached. "Oh, yes, please! Examine to your heart's content, my lovely…"

Without the slightest bit of warning the raven-haired woman popped Jiraiya's dislocated shoulder right back into place. The Legendary Sannin let out a rather undignified yelp at the sudden and no-doubt quite painful field first aid.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he hissed as he rubbed his shoulder, "Hey, couldn't I have gotten a little warning first?"

"Work on your manners," said Unohana as she turned her attention to Itachi, "and next time you may just get that luxury."

Yoruichi smirked. "Face it, pal; you walked right into that one."

By contrast, her treatment of Itachi was much gentler, although he supposed that was in no small part due to the fact that he wasn't blatantly trying to hit on her. "Please, sit down and remove your shirt, young man. I promise that this will not hurt a bit."

Itachi did as he was told, and a moment later the woman knelt before him and placed one hand on his chest and the other on his shoulder. She gave him a warm smile, while over her shoulder he saw Yoruichi studying him closely.

"Try to relax your breathing," said Unohana, "This will not take long."

Itachi nodded, and a moment later he felt a sudden warmth flowing through his chest. Looking down, he saw that the hand on his chest was bathed in blue-green energy. It reminded him of medical ninjutsu that he had seen in the past, but it had its own distinct feel to it.

"That's it," said his healer, her voice as soothing as the whisper of a flowing stream, "Calm breaths, young man. Peace will encourage your recovery. You fought bravely, and I would not have you suffer for your courage."

"She's got that right," said Yoruichi with a smile, "You've got some serious guts. Your moves weren't half bad, either."

"How long were you watching us?" asked Itachi.

"Since just after the two of you started fighting the Hollow," Yoruichi replied.

"That's odd," said Jiraiya, still massaging his shoulder, "I never sensed so much as a hint of either of you. Usually I'm pretty good at picking up when someone's got their eyes on me, especially when it's a pair of lovely ladies."

Itachi nodded. "I, too, am normally able to detect when I am under surveillance. How is it that you were able to conceal yourselves so completely?"

"We've both trained to suppress our spiritual pressure," said Yoruichi, "Every Soul Reaper learns to control the energy they outwardly exert, but with practice one can go further than that. It's not one-hundred percent concealment, but it's still quite useful."

"If we did not suppress our spiritual pressure," said Unohana, "we would cause great harm to the people around us. We would also be walking beacons for Hollows."

Yoruichi smirked. "You say that second bit like it's a bad thing. If a few more came our way tonight I might be able to burn off those rice balls."

Unohana gave a warm laugh. "Come now, Yoruichi, we both know you better than that. You hardly need a fight for exercise."

Yoruichi nodded. "That's true. Actually, to be honest I'm a little worried. It's been a while since Hollows managed to get all the way to West Rukon 37."

Unohana sighed. "My thoughts exactly. The Head Captain will want to hear of this."

"Like we don't have enough on our plate as it is," said Yoruichi as she rolled her eyes, "I'm the Captain that's supposed to proctor the entrance exams tomorrow, and you're on call for the student physicals."

"It's my duty as Captain of Squad Four, after all," said Unohana with a smile, "I don't mind handling the report for this incident as well, though."

Yoruichi grinned. "Are you serious? You're the best, Unohana!"

"Just don't make a habit of asking it of me," Unohana replied, "A Captain that shirks her paperwork on a regular basis needs to reevaluate her position."

Unohana continued to smile, but there was a sudden darkness behind her serene gaze that Itachi found to be highly unnerving. "You would do well to think carefully should you wish to pass off your reports to me in the future, Yoruichi. Is that clear?"

Yoruichi sharply nodded, and Itachi could not help but notice her stance had stiffened ever so slightly. "Yes, Captain Unohana!"

Several lightbulbs began to go off in Itachi's head as he recalled his conversations with the shopkeeper. "So, you're both Captains in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads?"

Jiraiya whistled. "Impressive."

"Oh, yeah, that's right; we haven't properly introduced ourselves yet. Sorry about that," said Yoruichi as she gave Itachi a friendly smile, "The names Yoruichi Shihōin. I'm the Captain of Squad Two."

The woman healing Itachi nodded. "And I am Retsu Unohana, Captain of Squad Four."

"My name is Itachi Uchiha," he replied.

Yoruichi knelt next to him and held out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Itachi!"

Itachi nodded as he accepted her hand. "Likewise."

"The same here, as well," said Unohana, "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Itachi."

"So," said Yoruichi as she turned to Jiraiya, "What do we call you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Oh, you lovely ladies can call me whatever you want!"

"So buffoon would suffice, then?" asked Unohana with a giggle.

"I was gonna say hedgehog," said Yoruichi with a smirk, "Seriously, look at that hair!"

The sage chuckled. "Well, I suppose I was asking for that one. My name is Jiraiya. I'd like to sincerely thank the two of you for helping us out here."

"Yes," said Itachi, "We owe you both our lives… or I suppose that would be 'afterlives' now."

"Ah," said Yoruichi, comprehension dawning, "You guys are new arrivals, aren't you?"

"That's correct," Jiraiya replied, "I'm not sure when Itachi got here, but my arrival was just a few weeks ago."

Itachi nodded. "Mine was precisely two weeks to this day."

"I see," said Unohana, "You are most fortunate that we found you when we did. With the way your spirit energy was fluctuating earlier, I imagine Hollows would find you to be most appetizing morsels."

"She's right," said Yoruichi, her expression quite serious, "In fact, I bet those Hollows were hunting you specifically. Your spirit energy drew them in like moths to the flame, and you can be damn sure this won't be the last time it happens."

"Damn," said Jiraiya with a grimace, "I was afraid that would be the case."

Itachi sighed. "It's not just that. When I'm near people, sometimes they collapse, and I've learned recently that it's because of my spiritual pressure. I've done my best to keep a safe distance from others to minimize harm, but still…"

Jiraiya nodded. "I think I know what you mean. I've had similar experiences since I've arrived here. So far things haven't been that bad, but I think it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt."

Itachi saw Yoruichi turn to Unohana. The two women stared at each other for a moment, and it seemed as if there was an unspoken exchange happening between them. A few seconds later they both nodded and turned to Itachi and Jiraiya.

"What if I told you that we could give you both the chance to control your spirit energy?" asked Yoruichi with a smile.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "What would this involve?"

"As I'm sure you heard her mention earlier," said Unohana, "Yoruichi is in charge of proctoring a series of examinations tomorrow. To be more precise, she will be overseeing the annual entrance examinations for Shin'ō Academy, the institution charged with instructing future generations of Soul Reapers."

Yoruichi grinned. "I'll put it to you straight; I want you two to enroll. You guys might not know how to properly control your spirit energy, but you still managed to take down a Hollow using nothing but teamwork, your bare hands, and some serious balls. You've got some major potential, and it'd be a shame to let it go to waste."

Unohana smiled. "She is quite correct. It's not every day that we see talent such as yours. If you enroll in Shin'ō Academy that talent will be nurtured, and upon graduation you will be able to put it to good use."

"It's no walk in the park," Yoruichi added, "The standard curriculum lasts six years, and advanced tracks can pack more into that same time period if you've got the aptitude for it. You'll be put through your paces, but if what you were capable of doing tonight is any indication I think you guys will put your fellow students to shame. What do you say?"

"Would we even be able to take the entrance exams?" asked Itachi, "As you guessed, we are new arrivals here. Our knowledge of the Soul Society and all its aspects is sorely lacking."

"Not to mention you said that the exams are tomorrow," said Jiraiya, "I'm all for a good cram session if it comes down to it, but the timeframe here might be pushing it."

Yoruichi shook her head. "The entrance exams are not your traditional academic tests. There is a written portion, but the ability to pass it is not determined by whether or not you studied beforehand. Someone can walk right in from the Rukon District with no prior education and still make it through. In fact, more than a few have done precisely that."

"That is not to say that the examinations are easy," said Unohana, "You will be pushed, but if you follow your proctor's instructions you will have a fair opportunity to pass on your own merits."

Itachi looked at Jiraiya. The Legendary Sannin was studying him carefully, and Itachi was all too aware that just because they had vanquished a Hollow together did not mean that he had completely earned the sage's trust. He had no doubt that Jiraiya would be watching him like a hawk if he enrolled in Shin'ō Academy, but he was willing to endure that extra layer of scrutiny if it meant learning to control his powers.

Finding out how to suppress and regulate his spiritual pressure was not the only reason he wanted to enroll, though. He turned towards Yoruichi and found that she was studying him just as intently as Jiraiya was. She intrigued Itachi in a way that he had not felt about a woman in a long, long time. Putting aside the fact that she and Unohana had saved his life, the abilities that she had demonstrated in that utterly one-sided slaughter of the Hollows had been nothing short of astounding, and Itachi was sure that what he had witnessed was but a tiny fraction of what she was truly capable of.

After a long moment Itachi nodded, his gaze still fixed on Yoruichi. "Very well, then. I will not presume to speak for Jiraiya, but I shall enroll in your institution."

Yoruichi was practically beaming at his response. "I knew you'd come around. Man, I can't wait to rub it into Jūshirō's face that I scouted the top student this year!"

"Hey, now," said Jiraiya with a smirk, "He's gonna have some competition for that spot; I'm in."

"Splendid," said Unohana with a smile, "I'm looking forward to seeing your results. As Yoruichi mentioned before, I will be in charge of the student physicals as well, so you can expect to see me once the primary examinations are complete."

"Oh, really?" said Jiraiya with a grin, "That'll be a physical to look forward to, I'm sure!"

Yoruichi chuckled. "You really might want to rethink that, Jiraiya. Unohana might be the greatest healer in the Soul Society, but if you get on her bad side they'll be picking up pieces of you across the Rukon District, and it'll take them at a least a century to find them all."

"Well, you know what they say," Jiraiya replied with a laugh, "Fortune favors the bold!"

Unohana giggled, but there was a hint of steel behind it that sent a chill down Itachi's spine. "Perhaps so, or perhaps not. Lady Luck is a fickle mistress, after all. You'd best be prepared for whichever way her mood swings, Jiraiya."

She turned her gaze back to Itachi, and it once again took on that maternal warmth she had blessed him with earlier. "I believe that should do it, then. Rub your chest and tell me how it feels, Itachi."

After she had removed her hand and he had put his shirt back on, Itachi did as she ordered and was surprised with what he found. "It… it feels good. The internal damage I took from those hits before… you were really able to heal it all so quickly?"

Unohana nodded. "Normally I would still advise that you take it easy for a few days, but since the entrance exams are tomorrow I fear you will not have that luxury. Do not worry, though; I shall take special care of you when the time comes for your physical."

"What about me?" said Jiraiya with a sly smile, "Will I get any of that special care, Lady Unohana?"

Unohana laughed. "Adding a noble title to my name will not aid your chances, but I suppose it will not hurt them either."

Yoruichi held out her hand. "Can you stand, Itachi?"

Allowing her to pull him to his feet, Itachi didn't feel any worse for the wear, which was rather remarkable considering the harrowing fight he and Jiraiya had gone through just a little while ago. "I think I'm all right. Thank you, both of you. I owe you my life, and I promise that I will find a way to repay you."

"Anytime," said Yoruichi with a wink, "and don't sweat it. It'd be a shame for a guy like you to end up as Hollow bait."

Next to him, Jiraiya switched gears and gave the two women a formal bow. "You have my gratitude as well. I won't forget this night. I'm in your debt."

"You are most welcome, Jiraiya," said Unohana.

"You two should find someplace safe and get some shuteye," said Yoruichi, "Exams start pretty early, and I know you two don't know your way around the Soul Society very well yet. Can you at least make it to the Seireitei by sunrise?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes."

"No problem," said Jiraiya.

"Good," Yoruichi replied, "Wait in front of the White Road Gate; that's the western entrance to the Seireitei. The Gatekeeper's Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. Don't let his size give you the wrong impression; he's actually a pretty nice guy once you get to know him. I'll have one of my subordinates waiting to escort you two to the Academy. Don't worry about knowing what she looks like; I'll give her your descriptions, so she'll know you when she sees you."

"Do be careful," said Unohana, "It would be a shame for either of you to get hurt on your way to the Seireitei."

"They'll be fine," said Yoruichi with a smile, "Come on, Unohana. We should get back before our Lieutenants start worrying about us."

"Hold on, Yoruichi," said Unohana, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Unohana simply nodded at her, and apparently that was enough for her to get the hint. "Oh, crap, my haori! I must've left it at the bar. I hope it's still there. Man, Kisuke would tease me for weeks if it got stolen!"

"You'd best go back and grab it," said Unohana with a laugh, "I'll meet on you on the road."

Yoruichi nodded before giving Itachi and Jiraiya one last smile and wink. "Sounds good. See you guys tomorrow!"

The two women disappeared a split second later, leaving Itachi and Jiraiya standing by the river. Itachi certainly had a great deal to mull over, but he couldn't help but notice that Jiraiya was looking at him again.

"What is it?" he asked.

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "I'll let it go for now, but sooner or later you and I are going to need to talk about what you did back when we were both still alive. I'm not necessarily saying that I'll believe every word you say, but it sounds like you at least have a case to plead, and I'll let you do that before passing final judgment."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. I would expect nothing less from one of the Sannin."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Don't make us out to be saints. Hell, you met Orochimaru; you know full well how far we can fall."

"Agreed," said Itachi, "Still, two out of three isn't bad. The Third Hokage would be proud."

Jiraiya smiled. "Yeah… I suppose he would. Who knows? Maybe we'll run into him somewhere up here. It's a pretty big afterlife."

"That it is," said Itachi.

Jiraiya turned to go, giving a brief wave over his shoulder as he did. "See you tomorrow, Itachi Uchiha."

….

Yoruichi whistled with relief as she caught up to Unohana. "I lucked out; it was still draped over the chair right where I left it."

Unohana and smiled. "That's good to hear. Fortune really does seem to favor us tonight."

Yoruichi nodded and grinned. "Yeah, no kidding. Here I was thinking the two of us would just grab a friendly drink before getting buried in work from tomorrow's entrance exams, and we wound up not only taking out some Hollows but finding some star students as a bonus! Talk about a win-win, right?"

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves," Unohana replied, "They still have to make it through the exams, after all."

Yoruichi waived her hand dismissively. "Come on, Unohana. You saw the way they handled that first Hollow. They had no control whatsoever over their spiritual pressure, but they still found a way to take it down. If they can pull that off, then they've got the entrance exams in the bag."

Unohana gave a soft laugh. "I suppose we'll find out soon enough."

 _Indeed, we will_ , she mused, her thoughts lingering on the black-haired young man in particular, _I can't wait to see what you can do, Itachi Uchiha!_

 **Author's Notes:** And with that, both our leading men and leading ladies have taken center stage! Since they've died, Itachi and Jiraiya are going to have to build their power back up from square one. Still, they're not exactly helpless; after all, they've still got their combat experience and highly honed instincts and reflexes as a base to build on. Needless to say, the Soul Reaper Academy's not going to know what hit it when these two show up for the entrance exams.

Until next time! Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:** So, you know how I said I was going to wait a while before posting more chapters? Yeah, kind of changed my mind, wanted to get another one out there.

Since this chapter introduces Yoruichi's bodyguard and future Squad Two Captain, a quick note on the name. When I first started reading the Bleach manga, the name was written as Soi Fon. I know that Suì-Fēng is considered the canon way to write it now, but I'm not going with that. I'm going with Soi-Fon, so if you don't like it, too bad.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Three: Entrance Exams**

 **The next day…**

It wasn't hard for Itachi to find his way to the western edge of the Seireitei. Even with the incomprehensibly vast nature of the Soul Society, its governing heart and the seat of its guardians were impossible to miss. A circular city within yet distinctly separate from the sprawling Rukon District, it was still large enough to utterly dwarf every Shinobi Village that Itachi had ever laid eyes upon. Although it appeared to be open, from what Itachi had learned there was an enormous wall hidden in a different dimension that could descend at the moment someone attempted unauthorized entry. Even though he could currently only see the outskirts of the Seireitei and the large hill at the heart of it, Itachi could not fail to notice how much sturdier and cleaner the walls and buildings within that region were when compared to those of the Rukon District. It all appeared so much more orderly and secure, and it was yet another sign of the broad gap Itachi had discerned between the privileged and the poor of the Soul Society.

 _It would seem that all religions who preached of a utopian afterlife were wrong_ , he mused as he strode towards his destination, _I know that this is not Hell, but it would seem to be far from a perfect Heaven, either._

The morning sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon as Itachi approached the Seireitei. He had left early enough as it was, but even then, he'd had to move at a very brisk pace in order to arrive on schedule. In fact, he'd departed so early that he was gone before the shopkeeper had even gotten out of bed. Itachi had felt bad about leaving without saying goodbye in person; after all the old man had done for him it seemed rude to slip out without a word like that. He hoped that the note he'd left for the proprietor before his departure would suffice and that the old man would not take offense at the manner of his leaving.

He spotted Jiraiya up ahead, but his attention was quickly drawn away from the Sannin and towards the being the sage was conversing with. It was an absolute giant of a man, so much so that he was taller than any house Itachi had ever seen in the Hidden Leaf Village. He wore a black robe with a white sash that reminded Itachi of what he'd seen Unohana wearing the night before, only this one lacked a haori. It also only covered up to the right shoulder of the giant's torso; the left side of his chest was exposed, while the shoulder and upper arm were covered in thick armor. His black hair was tied in a pony tail that fell down to his waist, while his sideburns continued all the way down to his neck and were long enough to be tied in small tuffs at the end. Capping off the ensemble was a red hat with yellow tassels. Itachi could detect a set of faint outlines on the giant's robe, and after a moment he realized that the titan of a man was concealing two incredibly large axes within his uniform.

 _Remain calm_ , he told himself as he walked forward, _and do nothing that might provoke a confrontation. In my current state, I doubt one would end well for me…_

As he got closer he saw that Jiraiya appeared quite relaxed in the presence of the colossal, and he recalled Yoruichi's words from the night before.

 _"The Gatekeeper's Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. Don't let his size give you the wrong impression; he's actually a pretty nice guy once you get to know him."_

The two men turned to face him as he came forward, and Jiraiya gave him a nod. "Morning, Itachi. I thought for sure you'd beat me here."

"I'm not late, am I?" he asked.

Jiraiya shook his head. "You're good. Haven't spotted anyone that might be Yoruichi's subordinate yet, and she did say she wanted us here at sunrise, so as far as I can tell we're right on time."

Itachi turned to the Gatekeeper. "You must be Jidanbō Ikkanzaka."

The giant nodded. "I am. Captain Shihōin told me to expect the two of you. You're not planning on starting any trouble, are you?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. You have my word on that."

Jiraiya smiled. "Mine as well. Don't worry, Jidanbō; we wouldn't do anything to make your job difficult."

Itachi was surprised to see the Gatekeeper offer a friendly smile in return. "That's good to hear. Captain Shihōin seemed pretty excited about the two of you coming to take the Academy entrance exams. I guess you two must be pretty special."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, I suppose that's one way to put it. By the way, there was another Captain that we met last night; Unohana. Did she swing by here by any chance?"

Jidanbō nodded. "Yeah, last night with Captain Shihōin. I like her; whenever I get hurt, she always patches me right up. Last time she even gave me candy! She can be pretty scary when she's angry, though, so don't do anything to make her mad."

Jiraiya smirked. "Did she happen to say anything about yours truly?"

Jidanbō's brow furrowed in thought. "That depends… are you the white hedgehog buffoon?"

Jiraiya's head slumped. "White… hedgehog… buffoon? _That'_ s what she's calling me?"

Jidanbō grinned. "Well, it was Captain Shihōin that said it first, but Captain Unohana laughed and said it too. Pretty funny, right? Can I call you that, Jiraiya?"

"Please don't," the Sannin groaned.

Jidanbō chuckled. "Okay, but only because you were polite."

"You had better _stay_ polite," said a new voice, sharp and clearly female, "I will not have you reflect poorly on Lady Yoruichi in even the slightest manner!"

There was a brief flicker in the air before a slender woman appeared in front of the three of them. Her shoulder-length black hair perfectly matched her solid black uniform, and there was a fierce light in her gray eyes as she evaluated Itachi and Jiraiya. Itachi noticed that she wore a wakizashi horizontally across her back, just like Yoruichi had the night before only with a yellow hilt instead. Unlike Yoruichi, her uniform was not backless or sleeveless, but instead it was much more conservative, covering everything except her hands, neck and face.

Jidanbō's eyes widened at her sudden appearance. "Miss Soi-Fon! Forgive me; I didn't see you approach!"

"No matter," Soi-Fon replied dismissively, her gaze still fixed on Itachi and Jiraiya, "You're the candidates Lady Yoruichi spoke of this morning."

Itachi gave her a polite bow. "My name is Itachi Uchiha."

Jiraiya grinned as he looked her up and down. "I'm Jiraiya. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…"

She folded her arms. "I am Soi-Fon, member of Squad Two and the Executive Militia, as well as the head of Lady Yoruichi's personal guard. Address me as Miss Soi-Fon or not at all, do you understand?"

 _The no-nonsense type, I see_ , Itachi mused, _I wonder how that plays with her Captain. Yoruichi seemed pretty relaxed last night, even when she was fighting the Hollows. I can't picture her subordinate here acting so casual about such a skirmish based on first impression…_

"Yes, Miss Soi-Fon," said Itachi, not wanting to make a fuss.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "Well, I see someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Are you always so high-strung, little lady?"

Her response was a death glare, one which only intensified as Jiraiya seemed to simply laugh it off. Itachi simply stood to the side, not sure how to respond to this unusual and slightly amusing situation.

"Call me 'little lady' again," she said with a dark edge in her tone, "and I will rip your testicles off and feed them to you."

Jiraiya's eyes widened, but he didn't actually seem intimidated by her threat; more amused than anything else if the smirk on his face was anything to go by. "Touchy, aren't you? All right, all right, there's no need for that kind of language, Miss Soi-Fon. I think we just got off on the wrong foot."

Soi-Fon sighed. "I don't know what Lady Yoruichi sees in the likes of you. Personally recruiting candidates for the Academy entrance exams is beneath her. If I had been present when you two had met her I would've sent you packing."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, it wasn't just her; Unohana was along for the ride, and I don't know how things would turn out for you if you'd argued with her. I doubt it would've ended well for you, though."

"That's _Captain_ Unohana to you!" Soi-Fon snapped, although at the same time she did seem to recoil ever so slightly at that name.

 _It would seem that the Soul Society's healer has a reputation for more than just her medical abilities_ , Itachi thought, _and judging from Soi-Fon's reaction, it is not entirely that of an angel. I wonder what the story is behind that…_

The black-haired woman then turned and motioned for the two of them to follow. "We've wasted enough time as it. Come with me; the entrance examinations are due to begin soon. I was instructed by Lady Yoruichi to bring to the Academy on time, and I will not fail any mission that she gives me!"

"Well, you heard her," said Jiraiya as he gave the Gatekeeper a friendly wave, "See you around, Jidanbō."

Itachi nodded. "Farewell."

The giant smiled. "Good luck with the exams! Come back and visit sometime!"

Yoruichi had been right about him, Itachi reflected as Soi-Fon led them through the winding roads of the Seireitei; the western Gatekeeper really was much friendlier than his initial appearance might suggest. Regardless of the way things went with the entrance exams, Itachi resolved to stop by and visit the giant from time to time. After all, a being charged with guarding one of the entrances to the Seireitei undoubtedly had some fascinating stories about the place and how he had ascended to his rank, and Itachi wanted to learn all that he could about the heart of the Soul Society.

In the meantime, there was a matter that Itachi wanted to get cleared up. "Excuse me, Miss Soi-Fon?"

"What is it?" asked Soi-Fon, not even bothering to look over her shoulder at him.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Itachi, "why did you refer to your Captain with the title of 'Lady'? Is that typical for female Captains, or is there something else to it?"

Now Soi-Fon turned to face him, her eyes wide with shock. "You mean you seriously don't know?"

"There's a lot we don't know," said Jiraiya, "We only arrived in the Soul Society a few weeks ago, after all."

Soi-Fon sighed, although Itachi was relieved to see that she didn't appear irritated like before. Her expression softened, and as she spoke Itachi could detect a very distinct note of pride in her voice.

"Lady Yoruichi is not only one of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," she said, "but she is also the princess of the Tenshiheisōban, more commonly known as the Shihōin Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Houses of the Seireitei. Not only is she of the highest blood, but her combat abilities are amongst the greatest in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. She is not just the Captain of Squad Two, but also the Commander-in-Chief of the Stealth Force and Corps Commander of both the Corrections Corps and the Executive Militia. She can fight in open battle or strike from the shadows, but either way no foe can hope to stand against her!"

Itachi nodded, recalling with perfect clarity her effortless trouncing of the two Hollows she had faced off with the night before. "I see. I witnessed her in action myself when we met; her abilities were truly outstanding."

He saw what looked like the faintest hint of a smile appear on Soi-Fon face, and Itachi took careful note of it; apparently praising Yoruichi was a possible path to getting on her good side, and the former Shinobi was more than willing to take advantage of it.

"Indeed, they are," she replied, with more than a hint of wistfulness in her voice, "and it is my privilege to be her bodyguard. I have dedicated my life to Lady Yoruichi's protection, and I would not have it any other way. I'll never be as strong as her, but it is my dream to improve my skills so that I may continue to prove worthy of serving her."

Jiraiya smiled warmly. "That's an admirable goal. You truly are devoted to the Captain, aren't you? She's lucky to have such a driven and dedicated protector."

Much to Itachi's surprise he actually saw Soi-Fon blush slightly at Jiraiya's praise. "I-I'm simply doing my duty!"

"It is commendable all the same," said Itachi, meeting her gaze, "I owe your Captain my life; without the intervention of her and Captain Unohana, I have no doubt that Jiraiya and I would not be standing here. I wish to find some way to repay the debt I owe to her, and if becoming a Soul Reaper means that I may have the chance to serve in her squad and help her as you do, then that is a path that I would like to pursue."

He saw Soi-Fon's eyes narrow as she considered his words. "Lady Yoruichi told me about your encounter, and how you and your companion were able to defeat a Hollow despite being unarmed and untrained in the Soul Reaper fighting arts. From what she described, it would seem that you two have a great deal of potential. If that is the case and you are able to make it through the Academy, then there is always the chance that you could be recruited into either Squad Two or the Stealth Force. However, neither group is a forgiving one to its members. Lady Yoruichi is kind, but we are still expected to perform our duties with the utmost dedication. If you join our ranks, you must be prepared to be pushed far harder than you ever were at the Academy."

Itachi nodded. "I understand."

"As do I," said Jiraiya, his tone completely serious.

He was surprised to see her smirk. "Maybe, just maybe… you two might have what it takes. Lady Yoruichi must believe that you do, otherwise she would not have asked the two of you to enroll. I will try to set aside my personal assumptions and give you the chance to prove that her faith in you is not misplaced."

"That's all that we can ask," said Jiraiya with a grin.

"Are we almost there?" asked Itachi, "We've been walking for quite some time, now."

Soi-Fon nodded as she pointed up ahead. "It's just around that corner."

As they rounded the bend they came to a stop, and Itachi saw Soi-Fon smile. "There it is; Shin'ō Academy. Seeing it like this really takes me back…"

Itachi hadn't known what to expect, but it wasn't this. His only experience with learning institutions was his time spent at the Academy at the base of the Hokage Mountain in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and while that had been a large facility it was absolutely dwarfed by Shin'ō Academy. In a way, it appeared to be a miniature version of the Seireitei itself, but even then, its sheer size made it seem like something more akin to an actual town than simply a school. The front entrance was a traditional and pristine white wall and gate, but beyond was a truly expansive campus. An enormous multiple-story building held central prominence, but even from their position just outside the entrance Itachi could tell that it wasn't the only structure involved in the educational institution; there were several smaller annexes and other facilities that seemed to be part of the overall operation. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it might be like inside.

Jiraiya whistled next to him. "Boy, they sure do know how to make 'em big in the Soul Society, don't they?"

"How large is the student body?" asked Itachi.

"Several thousand at any given time," Soi-Fon replied, "and that's not counting the instructors and support staff. Shin'ō Academy is nearly two-thousand years old, and it's gone through several renovations and upgrades in its time. It would seem that the list of prospective enrollees for this year alone is quite a long one."

Itachi could see that quite clearly; theirs was hardly the only group outside the main entrance at the moment. He could spot several people wearing the uniforms of full-fledged Soul Reapers, but there were many more who were dressed not too differently from him and Jiraiya. It was impossible to get an accurate count at the moment, and even then, it would not be a complete picture of the candidates for enrollment since that wouldn't be including those who had already entered the campus grounds. In addition to those who wished to enroll this year, Itachi could spot scattered groups of people who wore robes similar to those of actual Soul Reapers, but in this case based on their body language he guessed to be actual student uniforms; blue and white shihakushō for males, red and white for females.

As he studied the crowd he became aware of Soi-Fon's gaze lingering on him. This wasn't quite the same intense scrutiny she had given him and Jiraiya before. In fact, she seemed more curious than anything else.

"Is something wrong?" he asked after a moment.

Soi-Fon blinked before responding. "Your last name… it's Uchiha, yes?"

Itachi nodded, wondering what she was getting at. "That's correct. Have you heard it before?"

Soi-Fon's only response was to peer closer at him for a moment before turning away and walking towards the gate. "If you manage to graduate, I'll answer that question. Come with me; we're running out of time."

Itachi looked at Jiraiya who simply shrugged before following Soi-Fon. With nothing better to do, Itachi fell in behind them. After passing through the gate and the front courtyard, they went inside the main building. It was even more crowded in there than it had been on the outer plaza, and it took them a few minutes to work their way through the throngs of people to what appeared to be their destination; a very large meal hall. Several lines of enrollees stretched across it, and at the far end Itachi spotted several desks set up with what appeared to be Academy faculty sitting behind them.

"Pick a line and get registered," said Soi-Fon, "Don't worry about being late; it's only when the doors to this hall close that the cutoff for tardy applicants goes into effect. Once they're shut, anyone who's not in here will have to wait until next year to take another shot at the entrance exams. As long as you're in one of the lines in this hall, you'll be guaranteed a spot in the first phase of the exams."

"Understood," said Itachi, "Thank you."

"Yeah," said Jiraiya, "It would've been hard to get here without a guide. We owe you one."

"Hardly," Soi-Fon replied, "I was simply carrying out Lady Yoruichi's instructions. This is as far as I go. Best of luck, Itachi... and to you as well, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked. "Can we boost my chances of success with a little kiss? Just a peck on the cheek will do!"

Soi-Fon was positively seething. "You know what? I take it back. Itachi, I wish _you_ good luck. Jiraiya, I hope you wash out in the first phase and then get stung by a swarm of angry hornets!"

Itachi shook his head as he watched Soi-Fon leave the room. "You have a way with women, you know that?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, of course I do! I was a successful romance novelist when I was still alive, after all. Oh, maybe I should pick the pen back up again! I bet there's a serious market for the Make-Out Paradise series in the Soul Society!"

"Is it possible to get into legal trouble for plagiarizing your own work when you're in the afterlife?" asked Itachi as he and Jiraiya got into line.

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Hmmm, you might be onto something there. I might need to start a new series; if any of these people read my books when they were alive then they'll be hungry for something fresh. Guess I'll have to start storyboarding later; I'm sure there's plenty of material out there just waiting to be put to print."

"You do that," said Itachi dryly, wondering how the Legendary Sannin could think of writing a new book at a time like this.

Completing the registration process didn't take as long as Itachi had initially feared. The lines moved quite quickly considering their size, and once the two of them got to the front they were each given a sheet of paper and asked only to write their names and the district that they had resided in before coming to the Seireitei. After that there was nothing to do but wait, so both Itachi and Jiraiya took advantage of several tables with refreshments on them set up on the other side of the hall.

"So," said Jiraiya after a while, "how many do you count so far?"

Scanning the hall, Itachi quickly came up with a rough amount. "Two thousand, give or take a hundred or so."

Jiraiya nodded. "Same here. Looks like your eyes are still sharp even without the Sharingan."

"So it would seem," said Itachi before noting new activity where they had first come in, "It looks like that number should stay that way; they just shut the doors."

Jiraiya stretched before sitting down and leaning back against the wall. "In that case, we might as well kick back and wait for our lovely proctor."

 _That's right_ , Itachi recalled as he joined Jiraiya, _Yoruichi's overseeing our exams. Is this something she does every year, or does she rotate with the other Captains? I should ask her once I get the chance._

The lines gradually dwindled down before disappearing entirely about twenty minutes later. Ten minutes later one of the doors to the meal hall opened again, and none other than the lady of the hour walked in; Yoruichi. Save for the addition of a white sleeved haori, her outfit was the same as the night before, and Itachi once again could not help but admire her athletic form. She spotted Itachi and Jiraiya almost immediately, but apart from giving them a smile and a wink she did not acknowledge them.

"All right, listen up everyone!" she shouted, "I'm Yoruichi Shihōin, Captain of Squad Two and the proctor for this year's Shin'ō Academy entrance exams."

She then gave the crowd a sly grin. "And believe me when I tell you that you're going to wish you'd gotten anyone _but_ me by the time we're through!"

 _I wonder if she's serious or bluffing_ , Itachi mused, more than a little humored by the nervous expressions that were popping up on the faces of applicants across the hall, _I suppose we'll find out soon enough…_

She then pointed to the door behind her. "Now, first order of business; I want you all to head out that way and hang a right. Auditorium A-1 will be down the hall a little way on the left side. Phase One will take place in there. Get moving, people!"

As the crowd began to move, Itachi carefully studied the face of his proctor. The little smirk she wore as she watched the applicants file out the door told him that she was definitely enjoying the effect her earlier warning was having on the crowd. She clearly was the kind of person who enjoyed a little bit of teasing, and if she wanted to play head-games with the applicants then Itachi was more than ready to roll with it.

"An auditorium, huh?" said Jiraiya as they followed the crowd, "Guess they're getting the written portion out of the way first."

"Just like the Chūnin Exams," said Itachi, "I wonder what sort of rules apply here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "We'll find out soon enough. Man, this really takes me back now that you bring up the Chūnin Exams. That… well, I guess that was _literally_ a lifetime ago now, wasn't it?"

"I see you're having no problem picking up afterlife humor," said Itachi.

"Humor is the spice of life," Jiraiya replied with a smirk, "You Uchihas could certainly do with a little more of it."

"I won't deny it," said Itachi, seemingly taking Jiraiya by surprise with that remark, "If our clan had learned to loosen up a little more, perhaps its downfall could've been avoided. I suppose we'll never know now."

Jiraiya seemed to be regarding him carefully as they entered the auditorium. He undoubtedly had questions regarding what had really happened to the Uchiha Clan, but much to Itachi's relief the Sannin apparently felt that now was hardly the time or the place to press the issue. The two former Shinobi found seats in the middle of the hall and waited patiently for everyone else to file in. Once all the applicants were seated he saw Yoruichi take her place at the head of the auditorium, while on both sides of the room Itachi several academy faculty members.

Yoruichi cleared her through before addressing the applicants. "All right, listen carefully, because I'm only going to go over this once! As you've likely guessed by now, Phase One of the exam is the written portion. This is not an academic test. That being said, there _is_ a scoring criterion, and if you can't meet it then you're out."

She nodded at the staff assembled on both sides of the hall, who quickly began passing out exam sheets and pens. "Make sure to write your names clearly at the top of the front page. Answer each question truthfully and to the best of your ability, and you will make it through the first phase. As long as you are being honest with both the test and yourself, there is no wrong answer. However, leaving any questions unanswered is unacceptable, and you will be disqualified from enrollment if we review your test and found that you skipped one or two. Peeking at another applicant's test or attempting to collaborate with a fellow applicant will be grounds for immediate disqualification, as will lying on any of the questions, no matter how great or small the deception may be."

A devious smirk came to her face. "And trust me; I _will_ know if you're lying."

 _She's not bluffing here_ , thought Itachi as he studied the look in her eyes, _which means she has some way to ferret out deception among the applicants. What sort of method could that be?_

Yoruichi glanced back at the clock on the wall before turning to the applicants again. "From my mark, you will have two hours to complete the test. Once it is complete, simply bring your copy forward and put it in one of the baskets on the desk. After that you will return to the meal hall and wait for Phase One to reach its conclusion. Anyone who's disqualified will be escorted by one of the staff to the front gate of Shin'o Academy. There are no appeals, so if we boot you you'll just have to try your luck again next year."

The pens and test sheets made it down to Itachi and Jiraiya, and Itachi saw the Sannin's eyes widen ever so slightly as his fingers touched his pen. Itachi found out why a moment later when he received his pen; there was a very slight tingling sensation in his fingertips at the moment of initial contact. It would be easy to write it off as pre-test jitters, but paper examinations hadn't particularly phased Itachi in the past. His eyes narrowed as he carefully considered the writing utensil before turning back to Yoruichi. Her gaze met his, and the knowing light in her eyes was enough to convince Itachi that it wasn't a simple case of excitement or nervousness that had elicited the earlier sensation in his fingers. These weren't normal writing tools that had been given to them; there was something about them that Itachi suspected was explicitly linked to this test.

He closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated solely on where his fingertips met the pen. For a few seconds he felt nothing, but then that slight tingle made itself known for just the briefest of moments. In that split second Itachi realized that it was more than just his skin that was touching the pen; a tiny bit of his spirit energy had leaked out and made contact with it as well.

Opening his eyes again and glancing to the right, he saw Jiraiya carefully regarding his writing utensil. He looked briefly at Itachi before returning his gaze to the front of the room with a small smirk on his face. Whatever game Yoruichi was playing with this test, the Sannin had clearly decided to go along for the ride.

 _As will I_ , he thought, _I've come this far, after all._

He saw Yoruichi look over her shoulder at the clock on the wall again. "All right, then. Your test begins in five… four… three… two… one… go!"

After writing his name at the top of the first page, Itachi decided to forgo answering the questions right away and instead skim through the test as whole. Roughly the first page consisted of entirely trivial questions; favorite foods, hobbies, whether the applicant was an early bird or a night owl, and other small matters. However, after that the questions became much more serious, delving deep into the beliefs and philosophies of the applicant and how they might respond to particular situations. Itachi quickly began to comprehend what Yoruichi had meant when she had said that this wasn't a typical academic quiz.

 _They're having each of us build a psychological profile of ourselves_ , he realized, _I can definitely understand why she emphasized honesty earlier. Still, how would they enforce it on a paper quiz? There's no way that they could already know the background of every single applicant; Jiraiya and I can't be the only ones who are here by little more than virtue of a chance encounter with a Soul Reaper, after all._

He went back to the first page and was about to start answering the questions when he heard a student cry out. "What the hell?"

Every applicant in the auditorium turned towards the source and found a young man standing up. That wasn't the attention grabber, though; it was the fact that his paper had suddenly ignited in a burst of crimson flames.

At the front of the room he saw Yoruichi shaking her head, very much the picture of a disappointed teacher. "Really? You couldn't even make it past the first page without fudging something? That's just sad, kid."

"You're wrong!" the applicant protested, although just from how pale his face was and how high his voice had become Itachi could tell that he was full of crap, "You… you can't prove anything!"

Yoruichi smirked. "I have all the proof I need. It's right there in those flames. You were warned, kid. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"H-how the h-hell…" the applicant stammered as he looked frantically back and forth between his burning test and the proctor.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "If you can't figure it out, then you won't be ready to join our ranks for at least a hundred years. Get him out of here."

While most of the applicants watched nervously as the washout was escorted from the hall, Itachi's gaze was focused elsewhere; the failure's exam. The crimson flames burnt themselves out a moment later, but there wasn't so much as a scorch-mark on the surface of the desk beneath. Itachi turned his attention back to his pen, pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place.

 _So this is the enforcement mechanism_ , he thought as he studied the pen in his hand, _I don't know how, but it's somehow able to discern whether or not we're telling the truth based on the hints of spirit energy that it takes from us._

The flames had done more than just expose a liar; they had also given Itachi new insight into just how difficult this test would be. On the surface, telling the truth in what was essentially an elaborate personality quiz didn't sound all that hard, but it didn't take much effort for Itachi to see past that and find the true obstacle; the test-taker's internal biases. No matter how self-aware people claimed to be, it was only natural for most of them to have a positive view about themselves. To truly pass this test would require the ability to peel back misconceptions and biases that had been built up over the years and be willing to face up to one's flaws.

This was not just a psychological profile. It was an inquisition in which the subject was also his or her own interrogator.

Itachi took a deep breath before closing his eyes. An outside observer might think that he was meditating, and that wasn't too far from the mark. Before he could begin the test, he would have to mentally center himself. He would have to find the clarity of mind that was necessary for a proper and honest self-evaluation. Only then would he be ready for what lay ahead.

 _It's fortunate that we have two hours for this phase of the exams_ , he mused, _I'm going to need them._

….

 _And another one's down_ , Yoruichi mentally hummed to herself, _another one's down, another one bites the dust. Man, they're really dropping like flies. I'll have to thank Kisuke for the pens later. Every other year before now it's just been special paper that inks out when someone lies, but thanks to these little toys everyone who manages to pass Phase One under me will be whispering about it with fear long after it's over!_

The pens or the paper used the years before would have no effect on fully-fledged Soul Reapers, but against the uninitiated it was a different story. Before someone underwent proper training, how their spirit energy was emitted depended in no small part on their emotional and mental state. Outbursts of anger, fear, joy, sorrow or other powerful feelings corresponded with stronger surges in spiritual pressure, but even much more subdued and controlled processes would trigger emissions and fluctuations. One of the subtlest of those fluctuations in spiritual pressure came when someone was lying. After learning how to truly control their spiritual pressure, the person in question could easily suppress those fluctuations entirely, but anyone who lacked that ability to regulate the energy within them was vulnerable.

That was what the pens were designed to do; exploit that vulnerability and turn deception against a liar. Of course, on the off chance that one of the applicants had already mastered proper regulation of their spiritual pressure the pens would be reduced to little more than normal writing utensils. However, it was a very small percentage of applicants that had that sort of innate ability or prior knowledge, and Yoruichi was relatively confident that no one in her batch of enrollees possessed that degree of skill.

 _Those who truly excel at this test aren't the ones who race forward and try to finish first_ , she thought with a smile as she studied the remaining applicants, _Victory here requires patience and the capacity for true self-awareness… and it looks my two rookie Hollow-slayers from last night have precisely that!_

While the rest of the enrollees had undergone something of a minor panic attack after the first student had been disqualified, Yoruichi had immediately picked up on how Itachi and Jiraiya both closed their eyes and retreated inwards once the flames had died down. They had intuitively grasped the true nature of the test, and they were clearly not about to charge in blindly. The raven-haired young man had spent a full twenty minutes in silent contemplation before picking up his pen again, while his white-haired companion had taken a little less than fifteen minutes to complete his inner preparations. However, now both were proceeding forward with boldness and resolve while many of their fellow examinees were faltering as the test went on.

There was a loud thud as one of the bulkier students slammed his fists into his desk when his test was suddenly covered in crimson flames. "This is bullshit! This is fucking _bullshit!_ "

Yoruichi waved her finger. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? There's a time and place for that sort of language, and Phase One of the entrance exams isn't it. Come back next year."

"No!" the young man growled as he glared at her, "I demand a redo! I wasn't lying!"

"Maybe not consciously," said Yoruichi, "You were probably lying to yourself rather than the test, although it's really all the same as far as the exam's concerned. Now scram. You're making a scene."

"Do you know who you're messing with, lady?" the petulant applicant snarled, "My father…"

"Cannot help you here," Yoruichi finished for him firmly, her eyes narrowing, "Leave. _Now_."

The young man hocked a fat wad of spit onto his desk and gave her a look of utter contempt. "Or you'll do _what_ , you uppity _bitch?_ "

That was the last straw. In a single fluid motion Yoruichi stood up and initiated Shunpo. A single Flash Step was all it took to close the gap between her and the failed enrollee, and a swift gut-punch was more than enough to make her target double over before passing out entirely.

Yoruichi then effortlessly tossed the unconscious oaf with one hand to a nearby assistant. "Take out the trash for me, will you?"

The assistant, a blonde-haired girl, looked at her in a mix of awe and fear before hastily replying. "Y-yes, ma'am!"

Yoruichi then gave the rest of the applicants a hungry grin. "Anyone else want to play 'overgrown spoiled brat' with me? I'm game if you are!"

As she'd expected, none of the applicants took her up on the challenge. Most of them were appropriately terrified, although more than a few had looks of awe on their faces. Quickly picking out Itachi and Jiraiya amongst the crowd, she saw that the later actually looked rather amused at what had just occurred. The former was harder to read, although as their gazes met Yoruichi could detect more than a hint of admiration in his calm and thoughtful eyes.

 _You're one cool customer, aren't you, Itachi?_ , she mused as she gave him a playful wink, _I like that._

Dropping back into Shunpo, a single Flash Step later and she was back at the front desk. The exam continued apace once the majority of the remaining applicants were able to regain their wits, and Yoruichi did a quick headcount of the survivors.

 _We started out at 1,947 applicants_ , she thought as she finished her tally, _and we're down to 1,403 now. That's about on track with the average pace recorded for the first phase of prior entrance exams. Another straggler here and there might fall, but at this point I think I've got my crowd that's moving on to Phase Two. All that's left for me to do now is wait for them to finish up._

The minutes gradually ticked by, and ten minutes after the one-hour mark passed applicants began to rise to turn in their tests. Periodically her gaze drifted over to Itachi and Jiraiya; as proctor, she wasn't supposed to play favorites, but their performance the night before was never far from her mind and she was genuinely intrigued with how they were tackling the first phase of the exams.

One hour and twenty-five minutes later she saw Jiraiya stand up and walk forward. As he dropped his test into one of the baskets on the desk he gave her a smirk.

"That was interesting," he said with a chuckle, "I'm looking forward to Phase Two."

Yoruichi gave him a sly smile. "Trust me; you won't be disappointed."

At the hour and a half mark Itachi rose and came forward. He lingered in front of her desk for a moment with a thoughtful gaze on his test before he dropped it into the basket.

"Nice trick with the pens," he said, "That was… unique."

Yoruichi grinned. "That's what I was going for. Afraid I can't take all the credit, though; I had a buddy put them together for me. If you thought this was fun, just wait until you see what comes next!"

She saw what looked like the slightest hint of a smirk appear on his face. "Very well, then."

 _Good thing you and Jiraiya got done relatively early, Itachi_ , she thought as she watched him leave the room, _I hope you take this chance to rest up, because Phase One's a walk in the park compared to what I've got set up for you in Phase Two!_

The final half-hour passed relatively uneventfully. When time had finally run out, only three additional students had washed out, leaving an even 1,400 to proceed to the second phase.

 _I'll have to split them up into waves for Phase Two_ , she mused as the last applicant left the room, _otherwise the field's gonna be way too crowded. 140 per wave should work just fine._

There was a knock on the door, and Yoruichi smiled; she could tell from their spiritual pressure who they were. "Test's over, so come on in, Tessai!"

A tall, muscular, lightly tan-skinned man wearing glasses entered the room. His black hair was cornrowed and he continued to sport that large handlebar mustache that Yoruichi loved to sprinkle pepper in whenever he fell asleep at parties; the resulting sneeze was always worth a laugh or two. As both the Kidō Corps Commander and the Grand Kidō Chief of the Soul Society, he wore the standard black Soul Reaper uniform, but over that he sported an ornate dark blue robe with an upturned collar to signify his rank. The greatest spell master in the Soul Society and an old friend of Yoruichi's, Tessai Tsukabishi and his subordinates were to play an important role in Phase Two of the entrance exams, and the Captain of Squad Two wanted to make sure that they were all set to go on their end.

"How did it go?" he asked as he shut the door behind him.

"Pretty well, all things considered," she replied, "It wasn't quite as boring as I thought it'd be. There's a couple of special candidates I've got my eyes on, and they did pretty damn well from the looks of things. I can't wait to review their tests later. There was also an idiot who thought it'd be a good idea to pick a fight with me, so that was entertaining."

Tessai winced. "I do hope that you refrained from doing any permanent damage to the buffoon in question."

Yoruichi laughed. "Come on, Tessai, you know me. I just gave him a little love tap and sent him on his way!"

Tessai nodded. "Hopefully he'll learn his lesson from that encounter."

Yoruichi shrugged. "If not, then he'd better pray he doesn't get Unohana as the proctor next year. She'd do far worse to him than I did."

Tessai shuddered. "Very true."

Yoruichi grinned. "All right, enough about people with brains the size of acorns. Are things ready on your end?"

"Yes," said Tessai, "although I still have my reservations about this."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "You were able to get enough specialists, right?"

Tessai nodded. "Of course."

"Then you've got nothing to worry about," said Yoruichi, "After all, I'm just looking to sting them, not kill them. If you've got enough people with that kind of finesse with Kidō then everything will be just fine. Who knows? They might even adopt this as the permanent template for Phase Two in future entrance exams."

Tessai chuckled. "Yes, and I bet you'd like it very much if they named it after you."

Yoruichi giggled. "You know me too well. How does 'The Shihōin Gauntlet' sound?"

"Rather fitting, all things considered," Tessai replied.

Yoruichi stood up and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "That's why we're pals, Tessai. Come on; let's keep things rolling. After all, it's just starting to get fun!"

….

Leaning back against the wall of the meal hall, Itachi's mind was still preoccupied by the first phase of the examination. While he had indeed answered every question truthfully and to the best of his abilities, that didn't mean that it had been easy. Even after his initial period of contemplation and self-centering, tackling the test had still required a considerable amount of mental discipline and fortitude on his part. The fact that his exam copy hadn't burst into flames was certainly a good sign, but he had to wonder what Yoruichi and whatever aides she had would think when they reviewed his exam.

Although Phase One was over and he was trying to get a little bit of relaxation in before Phase Two began, he knew that he was still under scrutiny. It wasn't hard to find the source; although Jiraiya had pretended to focus most of his attention on his own test, Itachi had not missed how the sage had been quietly monitoring him throughout the written exam and was still observing him now. Itachi wasn't surprised in the least, though. After all, it wasn't as though fighting side by side one time could erase all the years that Jiraiya had viewed him as a threat to Naruto, and Itachi was sure that it would be a long while yet before the Sannin might finally be willing to completely remove the pall of suspicion from him. Perhaps that day would never come. If that were the case, Itachi wouldn't be sore over it. Regardless of his motives, he would not pretend that he deserved forgiveness for his past actions.

 _I may not have been sent to Hell_ , he thought grimly, _but that does not mean that I have gained absolution in death. I doubt that's even possible for me at this point…_

"So," said Jiraiya, dragging Itachi from his thoughts, "how do you think you did?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The fact that I'm here with you would seem to answer that question."

Jiraiya shook his head. "That's not what I mean. Sure, we're both here, which means we both passed, but what kind of impression do you think you left?"

"I would imagine that Yoruichi has already formed an impression of the two of us from the night before," Itachi replied, "The written test will tell her more, but it's impossible to say whether our answers will reinforce those impressions or change them since we cannot presume to know what she is thinking."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I should've expected something like that from you. I doubt she'll be reviewing all of those tests by herself. She has to have help given the sheer amount, and if I had to guess I'd say that there'll be people who share her rank that'll want to review the written tests of those who make it through the entirety of the entrance examinations."

Itachi nodded. "I can see that. It would stand to assume that her fellow Captains could use our written tests as a means to begin scouting potential new recruits for their decisions. Even if we haven't formally graduated or even made it into the Academy yet, a test with a working enforcement mechanism to compel applicants to tell the truth would still provide them with valuable information."

Jiraiya smiled. "Indeed. It would be interesting to know who looks over our tests."

Itachi shook his head. "There's little sense in thinking about that right now. We need to be focused on preparing for Phase Two."

Jiraiya smirked. "Says the man who's been so lost in his own little world since he got back here that he hasn't noticed that I'm not the only one watching him. You're getting sloppy, Itachi."

Taking a fresh look around the meal hall, Itachi noticed that Jiraiya was right; he _was_ being watched, and by more than a fair share of the remaining applicants at that.

And it didn't take him long to notice that the ones watching him were all women.

"Some things never change," he muttered, recalling all the girls who had vied for his attention back when he was openly serving the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Even in death, the ladies still go for the Uchiha," said Jiraiya, shaking his head, "Some guys have all the luck."

"You can have mine if you want," said Itachi, "I'm not here to chase every skirt in our class."

Jiraiya grinned. "You don't say? Well, then feel free to send them my way!"

It wasn't that Itachi was completely disinterested in woman, but at the moment he truly was focused on passing the entrance exams. There was also the fact that the only girl who had managed to get romantically close to Itachi while he was alive had eventually paid the ultimate price; tragically, she had been his first victim the night of the Uchiha Clan massacre. Given those circumstances along with the aftermath of the slaughter of his clan, Itachi had been rather reluctant to pursue romance ever since.

 _I wonder if there's a woman out there who could truly accept me and what I've done_ , he mused, _The Soul Society is incredibly vast, but even then, the chances of one residing in it that would take me while knowing the full truth of me…_

It was at that moment that one of the doors to the meal hall flew open. In strolled Yoruichi, and Itachi found himself almost unconsciously rising to his feet. Jiraiya was right behind him, and Itachi barely noticed the smirk and knowing glint in the Sannin's eyes as he briefly regarded the former member of the Akatsuki. Yoruichi's gaze met Itachi's, and when she smiled the young man could not help but be intrigued by the warm and playful light in her brilliant golden eyes.

As he regarded the Captain of Squad Two he almost didn't hear Jiraiya mutter under his breath. "So that's your type, eh?"

"What was that?" asked Itachi.

Jiraiya gave a faux-innocent smile and shrugged. "Oh, nothing."

Itachi returned his attention to Yoruichi as the Captain addressed the remaining applicants. "First of all, congratulations on making it through Phase One! Don't pat yourselves on the back just yet, though; we've still got two tests left, so you're far from out of the woods. Follow me and I'll take you to where we're holding Phase Two."

Itachi and Jiraiya fell in with the rest of the applicants as Yoruichi led them out the meal hall and down the hall for a bit. A few twists and turns later they came to a door, and when Yoruichi opened it Itachi saw only a flight of descending stairs that were dimly illuminated by a series of torches on the wall.

"Come on, people," she said with a smirk, "If you're afraid of the dark then you're not cut out to be a Soul Reaper."

Not one of the applicants made to leave, but Itachi noticed that more than a few were nervous as the group began their descent. It took them several minutes before they finally reached the bottom, and it was no longer the wooden floor of the Academy that was beneath their feet; it was cool and slightly damp stone.

 _We're quite some ways underground_ , he thought as he looked around, _I wonder what awaits us down here…_

He received his answer a few seconds later when the passage they were in opened up, revealing nothing less than an underground lake. The light of all the torches along the far walls reflected off of both the surface of the lake and the crystals that adorned the ceiling, meaning that the subterranean environment was surprisingly well illuminated. There was a slight drop from the ledge that they were on down to the surface of the water, which Itachi measured at roughly two and a half meters, while the lake itself was dotted with hundreds of smooth stone pillars that were about the same height as the ledge. About a third of the way across the lake Itachi spotted a row of blue flags mounted on a series of stone pillars, while two thirds of the distance to the opposite shore there was another row of flags, these ones green.

There were scores of people on both sides of the lake, and Itachi noticed a sharp division in their ranks; those that were positioned along the first two thirds of the shoreline on each side appeared to be regular Academy faculty or Soul Reapers, while those standing along the final third seemed to be from a different organization. They still wore black robes similar to those belonging to Soul Reapers, but their faces were obscured by white wrappings that covered the entire head, save for the eyes. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a solitary figure waiting on the far shore; a tall and well-built man wearing a black uniform with an elaborate blue robe over it.

"Okay, people, listen up!" Yoruichi barked, "This is Phase Two, known as the Pillar Run. Before I explain the rules, there's something that I need to know first. How many of you can't swim?"

No one raised their hands, although the nervous looks of several of the applicants told Itachi that at least a few were lying. Yoruichi seemed to pick up on it as well, because her expression softened into one of gentle concern.

"Now is not the time to refrain from speaking out," she said, "I promise that whether or not you can swim will not impact your ability to pass this test. This is purely a safety concern. The tests are important, but they're not worth your life. If you raise your hands I promise you will not be disqualified from the exam."

After a moment, several students raised their hands, and Yoruichi nodded at several assistants who came forward with red ribbons. "Each of you who can't swim is to tie a ribbon around one of your arms. Make sure it's visible. If you fall into the water, raise that arm and one of us will retrieve you before you slip under. Is that understood?"

After the applicants nodded Yoruichi went on to describe the test itself. "Your goal here is simple; using the stone pillars, you'll cross from this side of the lake to the other end. You'll be on a time limit of ten minutes, and anyone who can't complete the crossing within that timeframe will be disqualified. You will also fail the test if you fall into the water."

 _Sounds straightforward enough_ , thought Itachi as he scanned the lake, _but it can't be that easy. There has to be more to it than that._

Once again, the rows of blue and green flags caught his gaze. Yoruichi hadn't mentioned them in her outline of the test, but Itachi was sure that they were there for more than just decoration.

"Since there's so many of you, not all of you will be able to take this test at the same time," Yoruichi continued, "That's why we'll be splitting you up into groups of 140 each. All the groups _not_ currently taking the test will wait upstairs until they are called. Once you complete the test you will return to the meal hall. You are _not_ to tell anyone who hasn't taken the test yet anything about it. Disclosing any information whatsoever will be grounds for disqualification."

 _Meaning that the later groups can't observe the earlier groups and learn from their mistakes_ , Itachi mused, _The course remains an unknown entity to each applicant. That settles it; there's definitely more to this than simply hopping across some stone pillars._

Next to him he heard Jiraiya chuckle. "This should be fun."

A little while later, the groups had been formed. Itachi and Jiraiya were in the first wave, so they and their fellow applicants lined up along the shore while the others left the cavern. Yoruichi moved off to the side and raised her right arm.

"Your test will commence on my mark!" she shouted, "Three… two… one… go!"

The applicants rushed forward, and it didn't take long for Itachi and Jiraiya to move to the front of the pack. Itachi had lost track of how many trips he'd leapt from tree branch to tree branch for kilometers on end back when he was alive; it was second nature for Shinobi. Hopping across the much sturdier stone pillars was child's play for a veteran ninja like himself, but Itachi would not let himself become complacent. He was confident that Yoruichi had much more in store for them than a simple balance and speed exercise.

Glancing to his right, he saw Jiraiya easily keeping pace with him. The late Sannin had an amused smirk on his face as he effortlessly leapt from one pillar to the next. He would even through in the occasional flourish like a front flip or hand spring just to spice things up; the sage was clearly enjoying himself. Still, the sharp glint in his eyes told Itachi that Jiraiya wasn't taking anything for granted in this exercise, and whenever the proverbial shoe dropped he would definitely be ready for it.

Looking over his shoulder, Itachi realized that Yoruichi had completely vanished from where she'd been when she'd given them the order to start. As he scanned the area he was surprised to see that she was already at the opposite end of the lake standing next to the man with the ornate blue robe; he hadn't even seen her _move_ , and yet she had apparently already cleared the entire course.

 _I have_ got _to learn how she does that_ , he thought as he recalled her astounding speed from the fight with the Hollows and the incident with that one student during Phase One of the exams, _I won't rest until I figure it out…_

The row of blue flags was rapidly drawing near, and Itachi braced himself; he had a feeling that the real tricks hidden in this test would begin to reveal themselves once he passed them. Sure enough, as soon as he leapt past the flags and onto the next pillar his platform began to rise. Looking around, Itachi quickly realized this his wasn't the only pillar in motion; all of the stone platforms had begun moving up and down.

"So, it's a test of timing," he muttered under his breath as he plotted his course, already mentally compensating for this new obstacle, "Very well, then."

As soon as the pillar he was standing on reached the apex of its ascent Itachi jumped. The increased altitude had given him an advantage in both visibility and the distance he could dover with a single leap, and he exploited it for all it was worth. He came down on a pillar that had just reached the halfway point of its climb, and he already knew which way he would jump next.

A little way behind him and to the right he heard Jiraiya laughing. "All right! Now this is more like it!"

 _Indeed_ , he mused with a smirk, _it was far too easy earlier. I wonder what other tricks they've got in store for us…_

Reaching the next pillar and waiting for it to rise a little more before making his next jump, Itachi took a moment to assess the other applicants. For the first time, he noticed just how far ahead Jiraiya and him had gotten; most of the group was still working their way towards the blue flags. A few had already fallen into the lake, and those who couldn't make the swim to shore on their own were rescued by the assistants Yoruichi had positioned along the shoreline earlier.

Returning his gaze forward, Itachi pressed on. He was neck and neck with Jiraiya, and while he didn't consider the test to be a race he did push himself a little harder to try to keep ahead of the Sannin. It hadn't taken long to work out the rhythm of the pillars' rise and fall, so the two former ninjas continued to make steady progress. The row of green flags ahead grew closer with each passing second, and Itachi was already bracing for the next surprise that passing them would trigger. He did note that the pillars holding those flags and the ones beyond them weren't rising and falling like the ones he and Jiraiya were currently on, but there was always the chance that could change once they reached them.

He could feel a pair of eyes on him that weren't Jiraiya's and looking ahead it wasn't hard to find them. At the end of the course, Yoruichi's gaze was locked on him like a hawk. Even from this distance he could see the smile on her face, and the mischievous flicker of light in her eyes made him suspect that what lay ahead would be much more formidable than just some rising and falling stone pillars.

When he and Jiraiya crossed the line of green flags a few seconds later and entered the final leg of the course, the pillars ahead did not move. However, the people on both sides of the shore with the black robes and white facial coverings began to cross their arms before reaching out with one palm open, and they each took on a crimson-pink aura. The hairs on the back of Itachi's neck stood up as he realized what was coming, and he was dimly aware of the smirk disappearing from Jiraiya's face.

"Hadō 31: Shakkahō!" cried the masked figures.

Itachi dropped to his stomach on top of the pillar he was on, and not a moment too soon. A second later the air was filled with blazing red-pink spheres of spirit energy. Itachi and Jiraiya were both able to avoid taking any hits, and they were on their feet as soon as the immediate threat had passed. The two of them wouldn't have much of a reprieve, though; the robed and masked figures were already preparing another salvo.

 _And now the true nature of the test is revealed_ , he thought as he raced forward, _It's one of speed, balance, timing and, most importantly, spatial awareness. It'll be a gauntlet from here to the finish line._

He moved as fast as he could, and even though he could no longer command chakra he still advanced with the confidence he'd carried when he was amongst the living. Constantly assessing his surroundings to keep himself aware of both the pillars and the masked shooters on the shoreline, he plotted his final course to the finish line and made his final throw of the dice. His trajectory drifted slightly until he was as close to the middle of the course as he could be, all the while ducking and jumping to evade the flying balls of spirit energy. Instinct took over as he hit the home stretch, and with a fluid series of leaps and flips Itachi found himself on the shore almost before he'd realized that he'd made it. Catching his breath, he saw Yoruichi approach him with a proud smile on her face.

"I knew you were something special!" she praised, "Great job, Itachi!"

She then nodded past him as Jiraiya arrived on shore a moment later. "Same to you, Jiraiya. Too bad for you Itachi's already set the new course record; he got you by barely over a second."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, you can't win 'em all."

Yoruichi jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards a torchlit passageway. "Head up that way and you'll eventually make it back to the surface. You should be able to find your way back to the meal hall from there. Just sit tight and relax; I'll come find you guys when it's time for the final phase. Remember, no blabbing to the others about what happened down here. I'd hate to have to disqualify the two of you after a run like that."

Itachi nodded. "Understood. I'll see you in a little while, then."

"Have fun with the rest of the new meat!" said Jiraiya with a smirk.

Yoruichi grinned. "Oh, trust me, I will!"

….

Over an hour and a half later the last of the surviving applicants had completed the Pillar Run and gone back above ground, leaving Yoruichi with a few free minutes to run through her sheet and do a fresh count. The attrition hadn't been quite as bad as she'd initially feared; there were still 1,207 applicants left in the running.

 _Looks like we've got a pretty strong pool of contenders this year_ , she thought with a smile, _Phase Two is usually the one that gets the most washouts, and that was before I put my own spin on it!_

"You seem rather pleased with yourself," said Tessai.

Yoruichi nodded. "You could say that. I do like to consider myself a good judge of talent, after all."

"You're referring to the two men who finished at the head of the first wave," said Tessai, "I take it those are the two special candidates you mentioned earlier, yes?"

Yoruichi grinned. "You got it. Pretty impressive, eh?"

"I would certainly say so," Tessai admitted.

Her grin became a smirk. "Even more so when you consider that they took down a Hollow barehanded the night before, don't you think?"

Tessai looked a bit taken aback. "You cannot be serious!"

"Oh, I totally am," Yoruichi replied, "Go ask Unohana if you don't believe me; the two of us saw the whole thing."

Tessai shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I've known you long enough to be able to tell when you're joking and when you're not. Do you think they have what it takes to pass Phase Three?"

Yoruichi nodded. "They've got strong spiritual pressure, even if they don't realize it yet. They'll be fine. That doesn't mean it won't be interesting to watch them in Phase Three, though; it's always fun to see how peoples' energy manifests in the Crystal Lens."

"That it is," said Tessai, "Will you be needing any further assistance from myself or my subordinates?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Nope, Phase Two was all I required you guys for. Thanks for the help with that. I owe you one."

"Not at all," Tessai replied with a smile, "I'm always happy to lend a hand. Enjoy the final phase of the exams. I look forward to hearing the results later."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't worry; after the Captains' review is finished, you and Kisuke will be the first ones I come find. Catch you later!"

 _Now, then_ , she thought as she headed up the passage towards the surface, _It's time to move forward to the final act. I hope you're ready, Itachi!_

….

Once again, Itachi was back in the meal hall trying to rest up before the next phase of the exams. Once again, he was all too aware that people were watching him. Jiraiya had him under the scrutiny that he had come to expect from the Sannin since the exams had begun, but he was still surprised at how many of the applicants kept glancing his way. Initially several had approached him and Jiraiya after they'd returned from Phase Two in order to gain insight into what lay ahead, but the two Shinobi had maintained their discipline and declined to answer all inquiries. After a while the applicants who hadn't taken the test yet gave up, the attention Itachi continued to receive from his fellow candidates for enrollment remained. It was especially noticeable amongst those who had actually been part of the same wave in Phase Two that Itachi and Jiraiya had been in when they'd taken the test; they could not believe that the two men had completed the Pillar Run so quickly and with such apparent ease.

To his right he heard Jiraiya chuckle. "It's tough being famous, isn't it?"

"I have no interest in fame or notoriety," Itachi replied, "What others think of me is their business. It does not matter to me."

Jiraiya smirked. "Oh, yeah? Does the same go for our lovely proctor?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Just what exactly are you implying?"

"Don't bother denying it," said Jiraiya, "In that last leg of Phase Two you pulled out all the stops to finish first. You wanted to impress her!"

"She's our proctor," Itachi replied coolly, "Whether we pass or fail these exams is up to her. It's only natural for me to desire her to witness what talents I have, even with my powers reduced as they are."

"Really?" said Jiraiya with a knowing look in his eyes, "It was just for the exam score, you say? How come I'm having a hard time buying that?"

"Because yours is the mind that came up with the Make-Out Paradise series," Itachi quipped, "You can't help but construe _other_ meanings from the interactions between men and women."

Jiraiya laughed. "Is that what you think? Well… you might not be _entirely_ wrong there, I suppose."

It was just at that moment that one of the doors opened, and in walked Yoruichi. She wasted no time in addressing the remaining applicants.

"All right, everyone, follow me!" she ordered, "Phase Three is this way!"

Itachi, Jiraiya, and the others did as they were told. Eventually the group found themselves inside a broad courtyard. There were rows upon rows of what looked like meditation mats, and sitting on each mat was a clear crystal about the size of a ball from a child's game.

"Congratulations on making it to the last phase of the entrance exams," said Yoruichi, "Brains and skill have gotten you this far, but your final test is going to examine something else entirely; the quality of your spirit energy."

She then gestured to one of her assistants, who brought her a crystal just like the ones on the meditation mats. "Phase Three is known as the Crystal Lens, and these rocks are the reason why. They're naturally forming crystals found in caves scattered across the Soul Society. These stones have a special property to them; they can create a visual manifestation of someone's spirit energy. Here's an example for you."

She held the crystal in one hand and focused her gaze purely on that stone. Itachi's eyes narrowed as a white flame suddenly appeared in the center of the crystal. The flame rapidly expanded until the entire stone was bathed in its light.

"The spirit flames that appear in these crystals will allow my assistants and I to measure your spirit energy," said Yoruichi, "These are the properties we'll be examining; the strength, durability, and most importantly the stability of your spirit energy. Don't be surprised if the flames that appear in your crystal aren't the same as mine; the color depends on the individual touching the stone. This phase of the exam will last a half an hour. In that time, my assistants and I will be wandering around the courtyard and monitoring your spirit energy. If either myself or one of my aides places a hand on your shoulder before time's up, that means you washed out. Everyone still in the courtyard at the end of the half an hour will pass the test."

Passing the crystal back to her aide, Yoruichi gave the applicants her final instructions. "When you hold the crystal in your hands, empty your minds of everything else except for the crystal. If you need to take some time to meditate before grabbing the stone, that's perfectly fine; just remember that you don't have all day for this. Now, I want all of you to pick a mat and sit down. Phase Three will begin on my mark."

Itachi grabbed a mat towards the rear of the courtyard, while Jiraiya took the one next to him. The Legendary Sannin looked perfectly at ease with the nature of the final test, which didn't surprise Itachi in the least. After all, Jiraiya had been renowned in the ninja world as a master of Sage Jutsu, which required plenty of meditation in order to gain proficiency in; an exercise like this would be a walk in the park for him. Sitting down, Itachi looked at the stone in front of him. He already had his approach in mind; just like during Phase One, he would take a little bit of time to center himself before beginning the test in earnest.

 _Ten minutes of warmup meditation should suffice_ , he thought as he watched Yoruichi, prepared to start his mental timer the second she gave the go-ahead.

A moment later the Captain raised her right arm. "All right, then. Three… two… one… begin!"

….

Yoruichi sighed as she touched a red-headed girl on the shoulder. "You're out. Sorry."

The girl's eyes widened as she stammered in protest. "B-but I've barely even started!"

Yoruichi shook her head. "You can't fool me. That crystal's all the evidence I need."

It was true; the tiny crimson flame within the crystal was very weak, barely clinging to life. The pitifully small bit of spirit energy flickered and sputtered, far too inconsistent and frail for it to receive a passing grade.

The girl hung her head in disappointment as the flame disappeared entirely a few seconds later. "But… I worked so hard…"

"This isn't the end of the line," said Yoruichi, giving the girl an encouraging smile, "This just means that your spirit energy needs a little more time to grow. Build up your strength and come back next year. The Academy's not going anywhere, I promise you that."

She nodded at an assistant who came over to lead the girl out of the courtyard. Turning her attention to the rest of the applicants, Yoruichi's smile grew when she finally saw Itachi reach for his crystal.

 _So he used ten minutes for preparation_ , she mused, _Just like Phase One; he doesn't jump in without making sure he's ready. That sort of prudence will serve him well in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…_

Jiraiya had taken much less time to prepare than Itachi had; he had only spent five minutes in preliminary meditation. That smaller window didn't seem to hurt him in the least, though, for Yoruichi could see the blue-white flame within the crystal still burning brightly and steadily. The white-haired man seemed to be a natural at this exercise, and his was definitely the strongest flame that she had yet seen amongst the applicants.

Her eyes narrowed as she studied Itachi closely. The raven-haired young man held the crystal in both hands with his eyes closed. For a few seconds, there was no activity whatsoever, but that changed the moment he opened his eyes. A black flame ignited, and it quickly grew until it came to dominate the entire crystal. It was an entrancing sight, and Yoruichi wasn't the only one drawn to it; all the other aides had ceased observing the rest of the applicants and were staring in awe at Itachi's crystal.

"Impressive," she said softly, "Most impressive…"

As much as she wanted to focus her attention solely on Itachi, Yoruichi forced herself to pull away and scan the class as a whole. There were still about twenty minutes left in the exercise, and it looked like everyone had manifested their flames of spirit energy within the crystal. From here on out it would be a test of endurance and stability. There was no rule that stated someone had to maintain their flame from the moment it ignited until the end of the test, but doing so certainly wouldn't hurt that person's final score.

 _It's too bad Unohana's prepping for the physicals right now_ , she thought as her gaze went back to Itachi and Jiraiya, _I bet she would've loved to see this…_

The minutes slowly went by, occasionally interrupted by Yoruichi or one of her aides informing a student that they had failed the test. By the time Phase Three finally came to an end there were 1,105 applicants remaining. It actually was about the middle of the road as far as prior enrollment groups were concerned, but Yoruichi wasn't particularly interested in whether or not the exams proctored by her had the largest or smallest amount of people who were able to pass them. She was just glad that it was nearly over. She still had to go over the Phase One test results of those who had survived the whole process, but that was something she was actually looking forward to doing since she would have a considerable amount of help with it.

"All right, you can all rise," she said with a smile, "Congratulations on making it through the last phase of the Shin'o Academy entrance examinations!"

A round of cheering went through the group of surviving applicants. Jiraiya had a pleased grin on his face, and while Itachi appeared more subdued Yoruichi still caught a hint of a satisfied smirk from him.

"Okay, settle down," she said after a moment, "Feel free to throw a party later, but there are still a few things we need to get out of the way before you can officially start your freshman year at the Academy. For now, I want you all to return to the meal hall. You'll find members of Squad Four waiting there. They'll be handling your physicals, so cooperate with them fully if you want to make sure you get to go to class on the first day of the semester. Once your physical exam is complete, you'll be taken to the student dorms. Orientation will begin tomorrow morning, so make sure you rest up."

As the successful candidates began leaving the courtyard, Yoruichi called out to her two favorite applicants of the bunch. "Itachi, Jiraiya! Come over here for a minute, will ya?"

The two men glanced at each other for a moment before approaching her. The rest of the new students gave them curious looks before leaving the courtyard. Yoruichi didn't really care about impressions or appearances of favoritism now that the exams were officially over, especially since she had something special in mind for the stars of today's tests.

She grinned as the two of them came up to her. "Well done, both of you! I'm pretty sure I'm not blowing smoke when I say that you two blew these tests completely out of the water!"

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, now, it's a pleasure to hear you say that! Any chance you can pass that praise along to Unohana?"

Yoruichi smirked. "You can tell her I said that yourself; she'll be personally handling your physical, along with Itachi's. You two are getting the VIP treatment, so make the most of it!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Oh, I will!"

"We weren't being given similar treatment during the tests without our knowledge, were we?" asked Itachi, his eyes narrowing.

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. You two went through the exact same tests as everyone else. You just happened to be by far the most gifted candidates this year. I was rooting for you guys, but I didn't do any favors for you; you passed the exams on your own merits, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Itachi nodded. "I see. Thank you for that; my success here would have no meaning if it were not achieved honestly."

Yoruichi smiled. "That's a good attitude to have. You'll go far in the Academy, Itachi. Hell, I bet you'll be the favorite of all the teachers before the first week of the semester is up!"

Jiraiya folded his arms and grinned. "Oh, yeah? What about me?"

"Gifted class clown, all the way!" Yoruichi replied with a laugh, "At least, that's the vibe I get from you, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked. "That sounds fine by me."

"Good," said Yoruichi, "By the way, once your physicals are done, I want the two of you to return to the meal hall, all right? I'll swing by and pick you up; there's some people that I want to introduce you to."

"Colleagues of yours?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi grinned. "Yup! You two scored one hell of an opportunity with the way you performed today; I'm gonna introduce you to some of the other Captains later! They're gonna want to meet you when they see your test results, and don't be surprised if they start throwing out recruitment offers!"

 _If I know them, those'll start flying as soon as I tell them about the Hollow incident_ , she thought, _I'd like to get both of these guys into Squad Two when they graduate from the Academy, but if I have to share I suppose I can give up Jiraiya. That being said…_

 _…you're gonna be all mine if I have anything to say about it, Itachi!_

 **Author's Notes:** So, I'm sure you noticed the bit early on in the chapter when Soi-Fon mentioned Five Great Noble Houses instead of four. No, that wasn't an error on my part. I'm expanding the Soul Society's high nobility, and you'll see why later on in the story.

With regards to the Academy entrance exams, I decided to make them a milder form of the Chūnin Exams. No life or death battles, but still a mixture of written and physical tests.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes** : All right, another chapter up! Like I said before, I am slowing up the release schedule from here on out. Can't spoil you guys too much, after all!

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Four: Meet and Greet**

"How does that feel?" asked Unohana as she pressed her hand against his bare chest.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before responding. "Fine. I'm not feeling any residual pain from the night before."

The Captain of Squad Four smiled. "That's wonderful news. I was afraid that the rigors of the exams might exacerbate your wounds from last night, but it would seem that I was worried for nothing."

"I have you to thank for that," said Itachi as he put his shirt back on, "The way you healed me last night was very impressive. I don't think I'm any worse for the wear."

Unohana nodded. "You're too kind. Still, it never hurts to take precautions."

That was a sentiment that Itachi could wholeheartedly agree with. Sitting in the Academy infirmary with the Soul Society's premier healer, he had patiently cooperated with her as she had conducted her examination. It was a very educational experience for him; while he had occasionally been treated by the Leaf Village's medical ninja during his time with the Anbu Black Ops, he actually had never gained as great a comprehension of their healing methods as he had of other jutsu. Being under the treatment of a healer who used spiritual energy as opposed to chakra for her medical arts was quite fascinating, and when he'd asked Unohana about her methods she had described them as a subset of the spell casting powers known collectively as Kidō; in this case, Kidō for healing was known as Kaidō, and the members of Squad Four were all trained in it due to the unit's function as the medical corps of the Soul Society.

"Well," said Unohana with a smile, "I'm most pleased to give you a clean bill of health, Itachi."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you. Was it the same for Jiraiya?"

Unohana laughed. "Yes, although his examination session didn't go quite as smoothly as yours. His behavior forced me to use less gentle means of treatment."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Less _gentle_?"

"I suppose there's no harm in telling you," said Unohana with a smirk, "While I was examining his shoulder I could not help but notice one of his hands had begun to, shall we say, wander. It became a little too adventurous for its own good, so I decided to teach it a lesson by demonstrating just how easily what was healed the night before could become damaged again without the proper care."

Itachi suppressed a chuckle; he had a pretty good idea what had taken place given Jiraiya's reputation. "I see. I'm sure it was a very valuable learning experience."

"I'd like to think so," Unohana replied, "Is there anything else that I can do for you, Itachi?"

"If you don't mind," he said, "I actually had a question. It's regarding your powers as a healer."

Unohana smiled. "I'm always willing to educate others on the ways of Kaidō. Ask away, Itachi."

"Is the utilization of Kaidō taught at Shin'ō Academy?" asked Itachi.

Unohana nodded. "There are introductory courses offered, and members of Squad Four frequently act as guest teachers. Those who show particular promise in this field are typically recruited into my division upon graduation."

Itachi leaned forward. "Isn't it unwise to have all of the Soul Society's healers concentrated into a single group? I can understand the organizational benefits, but wouldn't it be more prudent to have healers assigned to multiple divisions in order to improve first response times?"

"You are not the first person to raise that concern, and it is a valid one," said Unohana, "Within my division are rapid response and relief teams that are assigned to work with the rest of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but I'll be the first to admit that the current system could use some work. We are particularly hamstrung by a certain regulation from the Central Forty-Six; Squad Four members, with the exception of the Lieutenant and Captain, are not allowed to journey to the Realms of the Living without the prior authorization of the Head Captain."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Why? That doesn't make any sense."

"Healers are a valuable resource," Unohana replied, "Our protection is given considerable priority. Without the members of Squad Four, the rest of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would not be able to function cohesively and effectively."

"Perhaps," said Itachi, "but your hands are needlessly tied by this regulation. More to the point, from what I saw the night before it would seem that you personally require very little in terms of protection."

Unohana smiled. "Well, I'm the Captain for more than just my skills as a healer. Other members of Squad Four are capable of engaging in battle as well, but that is not their primary field of expertise. To specialize in the healing arts is no small thing; expert Kaidō practitioners devote many long hours to maintain and improve their medical skills, and this unfortunately means that they have far less time than others to devote to combat training. My gifts make me one of the few exceptions. I am very proud of the members of my division, Itachi, but one of the requirements bestowed upon me as Captain is to recognize their strengths and weaknesses. If the time ever comes when members of Squad Four must fight on the front lines, then it means we would be faced with a truly dire situation."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. I apologize for questioning you in such a manner."

Unohana gave him a warm smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Itachi. That you would ask such questions and argue against the current system in the desire to improve it speaks highly of your intellect. If anything, I should be thanking you for it; I've rather enjoyed this conversation of ours. I'd very much like for it to continue further, but I'm afraid that will have to be at another time; I do have other patients to see, after all."

"Of course," said Itachi as he stood up, "I've taken up enough of your time as it is."

"Think nothing of it," Unohana replied, "Oh, could you do me a favor?"

"Name it," said Itachi.

Unohana smiled again, but there was a shadow behind it that nearly made Itachi bolt for the door right there and then. "Please tell Jiraiya that he'd best mind his wandering hands… lest he misplace them altogether."

Itachi got the message loud and clear; he could only hope that Jiraiya would heed it. "I'll do so."

"I'd greatly appreciate it," said Unohana, the warmth returning to her expression as if nothing had happened, "Take care of yourself, Itachi, and best of luck with your upcoming classes."

It didn't take long for Itachi to return to the meal hall. Jiraiya was setting at a table munching on what looked like dried fruit, and Itachi joined him after grabbing some water. He saw the sage rub his left shoulder; no doubt Unohana's 'lesson' from earlier still hadn't completely worn off.

"Your skirt chasing is going to be the death of you," said Itachi as he joined the Sannin.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, I can think of worse ways to go."

"I'm not so sure about that," said Itachi, recalling the chill he'd gotten from Unohana, "If you try to cop a feel on the Squad Four Captain again, your afterlife could prove to be a short one."

Jiraiya smirked. "Is that the message she wanted you to give to me?"

"More or less," Itachi replied as he looked around, "Where's Yoruichi?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "She hasn't come by yet. I'm sure she'll show up sooner or later. She did seem pretty eager to introduce us to her fellow Captains, after all."

That was certainly true, and Itachi wondered just how many they'd end up meeting before the day was out. Yoruichi and Unohana had been _very_ impressive in their own right, and he couldn't even begin to imagine what the other Captains would be like. If they were all as powerful as the two he'd already met, though, then he would be very thankful for the fact that they seemed to limit their activities to managing Hollows and other affairs of the afterlife; Yoruichi and Unohana alone could do tremendous damage should they decide to turn their attentions towards the ninja world.

 _Can Soul Reapers even interact with those who are still alive?_ , he mused, _I suppose that's one of the many things I'll learn once my new education begins._

"By the way," said Jiraiya, his expression more serious now, "We need to talk later."

"About what?" asked Itachi.

"You _know_ what," Jiraiya replied, his eyes narrowing, "Naruto, the Akatsuki, your clan; all of it. I was originally going to put this on hold for a little longer, but now that we're through the entrance exams it's a different matter. The student body here has no idea who you were when you were alive, so if you're going to be attending class with them I need to be sure that you're not a threat."

 _Ever the protective teacher_ , he thought, _even though the students here are not under his tutelage. It's a little sooner that I had hoped for, but I can certainly understand his desire to move forward quickly with this._

"Very well," he said after a moment, "Once we're settled in later, we can begin whenever you're ready."

Jiraiya nodded. "All right, then. You've got a little bit of goodwill thanks to that fight with the Hollows last night, but that goes out the window if you try to bail out on this, you got that?"

"Understood," said Itachi.

It was at that moment Yoruichi walked in, and from the look on her face she could already detect that something was brewing between Itachi and Jiraiya. "Hey, what's up? You guys passed the exams, so why the sour vibes towards each other? Don't tell me you've already become rivals!"

Itachi shook his head. "It's nothing like that."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, maybe not _entirely_ like that. There's nothing wrong with a little healthy competition between men, after all. Isn't that right, Itachi?"

"Whether you wish to compete with me in anything is entirely up to you," Itachi replied as he stood up, "I'm here only to learn and to train. Is it time, Yoruichi?"

She nodded. "Yes. I was going over test results with some of the other Captains, and I think they're ready to meet you now."

"Sounds good to me," said Jiraiya with a grin as he rose to join them, "This should be fun."

"Oh, yes," Yoruichi replied, "but before we go, afraid I got to set a ground rule. I don't mind you guys being informal with me; I'm not really one for titles myself. That being said, some Soul Reapers are pickier about that than others, so it's better to be on the safe side."

Itachi knew what she was getting at. "Of course. What should we call you, then? We may not be full-fledged Soul Reapers, but we're no longer mere candidates for Academy enrollment, either. What do students call Captains or other officers in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads?"

"Soi-Fon's a big stickler for my title of nobility," said Yoruichi, "but I'd rather avoid that. If we're in front of Soul Reapers on duty, or teachers and their assistants here at the Academy, call me Captain Yoruichi; I prefer that to my last name, and with the rank in front it's still formal enough that some of the stricter Captains will let it slide if they hear you addressing me that way. Otherwise, if I'm just paying you a friendly visit, feel free to call me Yoruichi. Simple enough?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Fine by me. I was never really big on titles myself, so I get where you're coming from there."

Yoruichi nodded. "Good. Follow me, then."

She led them down a corridor, and a few minutes later they came to what looked like a staff conference room. The Captain of Squad Two opened the door and ushered them in, and they were immediately confronted with an… _interesting_ variety of Soul Reapers.

The first one to greet them was a tall, light-skinned man with grey eyes and wavy brown hair tied in a long ponytail. He wore a Sugegasa straw hat and a long and flowing flowery pink kimono over his white Captain's haori. Tied at his waist were not one but two swords, a traditional _daisho_ pairing of a tachi and wakizashi. Both weapons had rectangular guards with the corners cut off, were decorated by patterns of lines and cherry blossoms, and each sported a dark blue handle. There was a decent amount of stubble on his jawline, and Itachi could detect a hint of sake on his breath.

"Well, now, who do we have here?" he said with an easygoing smile, "Are these the gifted new students you were boasting about earlier, Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi smiled. "You got it! This is Itachi Uchiha and Jiraiya. Itachi, Jiraiya, meet Shunsui Kyōraku, Captain of Squad Eight."

"Nice to meet you," said Itachi as he bowed his head.

"Good to make your acquaintance," said Jiraiya before looking over the Captain's shoulder and grinning, "And who might your lovely companion be?"

Shunsui chuckled, and from the look on his face Itachi knew that the Captain had already sensed a kindred spirit in Jiraiya. "That would be my Lieutenant. Come on, now, Lisa; it's impolite to withhold a proper introduction."

Itachi regarded the Squad Eight Captain's second-in-command. She was a slender woman with turquoise eyes, red-rimmed oval glasses and raven hair that was braided into two pigtails. Her attire was a shortened variation of the standard black Soul Reaper robes, with her hakama resembling a skirt. The sword at her hip appeared to be a nodachi with a dark blue hilt and a square tsuba with two rectangular attachments on two ends, while a badge was tied to her left arm. She turned to face both of them, but after a moment Itachi could tell that she was more focused on him than Jiraiya.

"My name is Lisa Yadōmaru, Lieutenant of Squad Eight," she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

A tall man with long-white hair and a friendly light in his green eyes leaned forward. His white haori identified him as another Captain, but unlike Shunsui his physique actually struck Itachi as slightly emaciated. His skin was slightly paler as well, and while there was a warm energy about him he did seem to be a little under the weather. A single katana with a rectangular bronze cross guard and a dark red handle was tied to the sash of his robes.

"Captain Shihōin has told us quite a bit about the two of you," he said, "I'm Jūshiro Ukitake, the Captain of Squad Thirteen. Well met, my friends."

"So you two are Captain Shihōin's amateur Hollow killers, eh?" said another man from across the table, "It's not every day we get applicants with your kind of potential coming through the Academy entrance exams."

The speaker had very long blond hair that flowed over his Captain's haori. There was a sharp, evaluating look in his brown eyes even as he had an amused smirk on his face that revealed some of his teeth. A katana with a red hilt and sheath hung at his side, and its guard was shaped like an hourglass.

"Oh, sorry," the man continued, "where are my manners? I'm Shinji Hirako, Squad Five's Captain. Congrats on making it through the exams."

"Indeed!" said a woman not too far down from him, "Your results were absolutely splendid!"

Taking a closer look at the new speaker, Itachi saw that she was a slender but very well-endowed woman. She let her long violet hair flow wild and freely over her Captain's haori, and she had a very warm and cheerful aura. Itachi saw Jiraiya's smile grow as the Sannin feasted his eyes on the lady's ample bosom, and he could only hope that the sage didn't do anything that might get the two of them on this woman's bad side, especially since her katana was no doubt as sharp as that of everyone else's at this gathering.

"Hearing you say that is music to my ears, miss…" Jiraiya began.

"Oh, forgive me!" said the woman with a friendly smile, "My name's Kirio Hikifune, Captain of Squad Twelve. Captain Shihōin won't stop singing your praises, and I can see why!"

"As can I," said a deep-voiced man on the other side of the table, "Written test, the Pillar Run, and the Crystal Lens; you guys soared through on all three."

It was another Captain, and this one sported sunglasses and a round afro. He was definitely on the taller side and looked very well-built as well. The katana at his side had a white hilt and a heart-shaped tsuba.

"You're too kind, Captain…" said Itachi, waiting for the man to fill in the gap in his knowledge.

"Love," the man replied, "Love Aikawa, Squad Seven's Captain. It's always nice to meet the new talent coming into the Academy."

"The prowess the two of you showed in the exams is impressive for new recruits," said another man, his voice much gruffer in contrast to Love's smooth basso, "Killing a Hollow without Soul Reaper training even more so. Who scored the final blow against the beast?"

The new speaker was a Captain as well, and the way he carried himself strongly reminded Itachi of a Chūnin drill master. A tall and muscular man with sharp features, his silver hair gave him a rather frosty look, which was further accented by the steely glint in his brown eyes. Despite the much more military air about him when compared to his colleagues, he actually sported a handful of piercings, with one on his left eyebrow and three on his left ear. As if that weren't enough, through the opening in his robes Itachi could spot what looked like the uppermost portion of a tattoo on his torso, and he was curious as to what the full design was. His weapon appeared to be a wakizashi with an H-shaped tsuba and white hilt.

"That would be me," said Jiraiya, "although I couldn't have taken it out were it not for Itachi drawing its attention, plus he got a few good hits on it in his own right. So overall it was a team effort, Captain…"

"Muguruma," the man finished for him, "Kensei Muguruma, Captain of Squad Nine. I'm glad to see that you know how to share credit when it's due; that's important for maintaining good teamwork and comradery."

"Are you really that strong already?" came a female voice from behind Kensei, "I wanna see you two fight!"

A second later a petite woman with wavy lime-green hair popped up over Kensei's shoulder. In addition to her robes and the badge on her left arm, she also wore a pink scarf and a pair of glasses atop her hair. The sword at her side was an average-length katana with a green hilt and rectangular guard which had circles on each corner. Contrary to the Captain she was lurking behind, Itachi's first impression of her was that she was rather perky.

Kensei rolled his eyes. "Mashiro, first of all, it's rude to tell two people to fight like that. Second of all, you should introduce yourself properly; it's polite!"

The woman nodded and smiled. "Oh, okay! I'm Mashiro Kuna, Lieutenant of Squad Nine. Nice to meet you!"

"Likewise," said Itachi.

Jiraiya gave her a friendly smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you. If I'd known the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had so many lively women in them, I would've applied for the Academy as soon as I arrived here."

"Which was barely over two weeks ago," Itachi quipped, "So you still would've wound up taking the entrance exams today anyway."

"You got a point there," said Yoruichi as she sat down at the table before motioning for Itachi and Jiraiya to join her and the others, "Then again, if Unohana and I hadn't found you when we did then you wouldn't be here at all. Talk about good timing, huh?"

"About that," said Jūshiro, "Captain Shihōin, which part of the Rukon District did you say you encountered them in again?"

"West Rukon 37," Yoruichi replied.

Shunsui stroked his chin. "West 37… that's not good."

Lisa's eyes narrowed. "When was the last time Hollows made it that far into the Rukon District?"

"Years at the very least," Shinji answered, "Usually the closest they get these days are the 60s or mid-50s. I think our patrols are getting sloppy again."

"Or the Hollows may be getting smarter," Kirio countered, "At the very least, they do seem to be getting bolder."

Love sighed. "Lucky for us they were just common Hollows this time. Can you imagine the damage a Menos Grande could've done had it gotten that far inside the Rukon District?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Menos Grande? What's that?"

"Trust me," said Kensei grimly, "if you saw one, you'd know; each one's taller than a palace. You get a Menos when Hollows become cannibalistic, which is rather common with them. A bunch of the cannibal Hollows try to devour each other, and they end up merging into a Menos Grande. They're not the smartest Hollows out there, but they make up for it with brute force."

Yoruichi shook her head. "You're only describing Gillians, Kensei. One of those alone would be a mess, but one that we could dispatch relatively quickly. An Adjuchas, on the other hand, would be much more problematic."

Jiraiya leaned forward. "Adjuchas? Can anyone explain that to us new guys?"

"Oh, I know! I know!" chirped Mashiro, bouncing up and down in her seat, "Kensei, can I answer? Can I? Can I?"

Kensei folded his arms. "You don't need my permission to answer a question, you goofball!"

Shunsui chuckled. "Looks like someone got more than her usual amount of sugar today."

"Adjuchas are the second classification of Menos Grande," said Lisa, "They're much smarter and stronger than Gillians, but fortunately are fewer in number. They are also smaller than Gillians, although one could argue that that particular quality may actually make them even more dangerous due to their increased mobility."

"Hey, no fair, Lisa!" pouted Mashiro, "I wanted to give the answer!"

Lisa shrugged. "Then you should've given it right from the start."

Mashiro sighed. "Oh, man, it's just like the Academy all over again."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "If Gillians are formed from Hollow cannibalism, then are Adjuchas formed from Gillians eating each other?"

Kirio smiled. "You catch on quickly, don't you? My, my… you definitely found a sharp one here, Yoruichi."

Yoruichi grinned. "What can I say? I got an eye for talent!"

"In truth, you may only be partially right, Itachi," said Jūshiro, "While cannibalism is a component of Hollow evolution, we believe that other factors come into play when Gillians evolve into Adjuchas, although at this stage these are only theories."

"What sort of factors?" asked Jiraiya.

"From what little we've been able to observe," Shinji chimed in, "we think that the creation of an Adjuchas is at least in part determined by which of the many Hollows that made up the original Gillian is the dominant one."

Love sighed. "In truth, there's a ton we don't know about the Adjuchas. The Soul Society's never really done an in-depth field study of them. Squad Twelve's supposed to hold most of the archived reports on them, though."

Kirio nodded. "Indeed, although even then our knowledge is far from complete. Studying even Gillians is difficult when one recalls how rare it is to encounter one in the field. They typically remain in Hueco Mundo, something that the rest of us should be very grateful for."

"Hueco Mundo?" said Itachi, "Is that their home?"

Kensei nodded. "It's a dimension that exists between the Soul Society and the Realms of the Living. Hollows are able to travel freely between worlds thanks to their ability to create spiritual pathways called Garganta. Unfortunately, the only way to get to Hueco Mundo is through a Garganta, something the Soul Society has never been able to replicate."

"So let me get this straight," said Jiraiya, "Hollows can pop up in any world they want, snack on some human souls, and then run right back home without anyone being able to chase them? Man, that's just not fair."

"No kidding," groaned Yoruichi, "It's actually possible for Soul Reapers to go after them if they're able to make it through the Garganta before it closes, but only a few have ever managed to pull it off… and none of them have ever returned to tell the tale. As far as Hueco Mundo goes, we're unfortunately flying blind."

"That's a major disadvantage," said Itachi as his brow furrowed in thought, "Especially if the same is not true for the Hollows. The ones that we encountered the night before seemed to be little more than primal beasts, but if what you say about these Adjuchas is true then it is entirely possible that they've conducted advanced reconnaissance of the Soul Society. That's a potentially staggering information gap."

Jūshiro smiled. "I think you're overreacting, Itachi. It is true that Adjuchas are much more clever than other Hollows, but from what we've seen in the field their intellectual prowess is merely on the tactical level. They are strong enough and smart enough to command Gillians as foot soldiers, but aspects of long-term strategy such as detailed intelligence work and analysis is beyond them."

"Jūshirō's right," said Shunsui, "Above all, Adjuchas are driven by the same urge as other Hollows; the desire to feed. In addition to them attacking lesser Hollows, we've also spotted them on rare occasions trying to devour one of their fellow Adjuchas. They may possess the capacity to cooperate for short-term gains, but their predatory and cannibalistic natures make them incapable of acting strategically."

"With all due respect, Captain," Lisa protested, "that strikes me as an idea based more in wishful thinking and circumstantial evidence than anything else. Anecdotes and the occasional field report aren't enough for us to make conclusive statements on the nature of the higher orders of Menos Grande. I'm with Itachi on this matter; the idea that the Hollows have far more information on us that we do of them is an alarming prospect, especially if they prove capable of effectively organizing to take advantage of it."

Shunsui winked at Itachi. "Well, well; it seems you already have a fan in my Lieutenant, Itachi. I bet you're pretty popular with the ladies in general, aren't you?"

"Well, he's definitely not lacking in the looks department," said Yoruichi with a playful smirk, "I caught more than a few of the female applicants eyeing him during the exams, and I can't say I blame 'em!"

"He is pretty cute!" chirped Mashiro.

"That he is," said Kirio with a grin, "I think I could find a place for him in my division once he graduates."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well that's typical."

"My appreciation of Itachi is based on the intelligence he has displayed here," said Lisa, although Itachi was keenly aware of her looking him over from head to toe, "although I am not above admiring his physical qualities. I am a curious woman with healthy interests, after all."

Shunsui smiled. "That you are, Lisa."

"We're getting sidetracked," said Itachi, quite eager to steer the conversation back towards its original course, "Lieutenant Yadōmaru, a few seconds ago you mentioned 'higher orders' of Menos Grande; are you implying that there is another classification that goes beyond that of Adjuchas?"

Lisa nodded. "Yes… although evidence for their existence at this point beyond anecdotal reports is rather slim. Still, they cannot simply be dismissed out of hand."

"Indeed," said Kirio somberly, "Not when the potential threat they could pose if conclusively proven to be real is so grave."

Itachi saw Jiraiya's eyes narrow. "So what is it? What's out there that could be worse than an Adjuchas?"

"The Vasto Lordes," Shinji answered, "There have supposedly been a few sightings of them, but those reports came from survivors of teams that were almost entirely wiped out, and the witnesses were so badly shaken that it was almost impossible to get solid information out of them."

Love sighed. "If the ravings of a few badly wounded and severely traumatized Soul Reapers are to be believed, these Menos Grande are about the size of normal humans. However, supposedly they're both smarter and far more powerful than those of the Adjuchas rank."

"How much more powerful?" asked Itachi, his gut telling him that he wouldn't like the answer.

Kensei scowled. "If the fear mongers' are correct, their strength surpasses that of a Soul Reaper Captain."

Itachi was floored. From what he and Jiraiya had witnessed the night before, the barest glimpses of Yoruichi and Unohana's abilities had indicated that the powers of Soul Reaper Captains were in a league of their own. Was there truly a level of Hollow out there capable of surpassing that?

Jiraiya shook his head. "Well… shit."

Itachi nodded after a moment. "Yes… I suppose that's as good a way to put it as any."

Shunsui raised his hands. "Now, now, there's no need to panic. Sightings of these things have been extremely rare. From what we can tell, if they do exist they hardly ever leave Hueco Mundo."

Jūshiro gave what Itachi guessed was supposed to be a reassuring smile. "Let me put it this way; you have a far greater chance of being struck by lightning than encountering a Vasto Lorde. Besides, us Captains aren't exactly pushovers. A Vasto Lorde may sound like a truly daunting foe, but no enemy is invincible."

Yoruichi nodded. "True, but that being said, if they do exist then they should be handled with extreme caution. I actually spoke to the Head Captain about them a while back, and he was thinking of issuing a decree regarding them; any sighting of a Vasto Lorde is to be reported directly to him, and they are not to be engaged until at least two Captains and their Lieutenants have arrived on the scene."

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "The Head Captain actually said that?"

"First I've heard of it," said Shinji.

Love's eyes narrowed. "Something like this should've come up at the last Captains' meeting."

"He's right," said Kensei, "If this is true, then why has it been kept from us, Yoruichi?"

"Because it was an informal conversation that I had with him," Yoruichi replied, "If the Head Captain decides to make it official policy, he'll announce it accordingly."

Lisa shuddered. "I hope the likes of the Vasto Lordes remain in Hueco Mundo. Fighting one of those does not sound fun."

"Now, now, Lisa, there's no need worry," said Shunsui as he patted his Lieutenant on the back, "If we have to go up against one, you can just leave the heavy lifting to me."

Lisa scowled. "With all due respect, Captain, as your Lieutenant I will do my duty in battle no matter what the nature of our opponent may be. I will not allow you to take on a powerful enemy by yourself out of some misguided sense of chivalry."

Shunsui chuckled. "As feisty as ever. There's just no arguing with you when you get like this."

"I wanna fight one!" chirped Mashiro, "Kensei, we can take one, right?"

Kensei glared at his Lieutenant. "Mashiro, were you not paying attention to the others at all? We should hope that we never have to face one of these Vasto Lordes at all!"

"We shouldn't be worrying about the likes of them anyway right now," said Kirio as she smiled at Itachi and Jiraiya, "After all, wasn't the reason we all came here today was to review test results and scout potential recruits? I'd say that we're not doing a very good job if the two most talented applicants in the pool are right here in front of us and we're talking about something else!"

Jūshiro nodded. "You're quite right about that. Itachi, Jiraiya, if you don't mind me asking, where did you acquire your hand-to-hand combat skills? To be able to go up against a Hollow without proper Soul Reaper training is no small feat."

"You haven't been in the Soul Society very long, right?" asked Shinji, "I doubt you would've had much of a chance to train here."

"That's correct," said Itachi, "The skills you refer to were ones we both had when we were alive, although we never had the opportunity to use them against Hollows until last night."

Jiraiya chuckled. "We didn't even know that Hollows existed until we got here. Maybe we were good fighters when we were still alive, but after watching Captains Yoruichi and Unohana last night it's clear that we both have a lot to learn."

"True," said Shinji with a smile, "but the fact that you recognize that means you're off to a good start; you're not overconfident. If you manage to maintain a sense of perspective then I think the two of you'll do just fine in the Academy."

Love nodded. "If your skills are already sharp enough to defeat a Hollow in unarmed combat, then if nothing else the two of you should ace your Hakuda classes."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Hakuda?"

"The hand-to-hand fighting arts utilized by Soul Reapers," Kensei answered for him, "We're taught to fight with more than just our Zanpakutō, after all."

Now it was Jiraiya's turn to voice the pair's confusion. "Zanpakutō?"

Mashiro's eyes widened. "What? You two don't even know what a Zanpakutō is?"

"Mashiro, be nice," Lisa gently chided her, "Remember, they said they only arrived in the Soul Society a few weeks ago. There's still a lot they have to catch up on."

Mashiro nodded and smiled at Itachi and Jiraiya. "Right, I forgot about that. Sorry!"

"To answer your question," said Yoruichi, "a Zanpakutō is a Soul Reaper's sword. They're our signature weapons, and only one trained in the Soul Reaper arts can properly wield them. Your instructors at the Academy will go over them in greater detail, but for now just know that they're not normal swords by any stretch of the imagination."

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then. Thank you."

"Yeah," said Jiraiya, "It's nice to have a little bit cleared up, at least."

Yoruichi smiled. "Your instructors should cover this on the first day, but I don't see any harm in giving you two a running start. There are four different styles of combat that Soul Reapers can practice. We've already covered Hakuda. Zanjutsu is the art of fighting with a Zanpakutō. As you might imagine, traditional swordplay is a major part of Zanjutsu training, but the unique nature of the Zanpakutō means that there's more to it than conventional fencing. You'll see what I'm talking about once your classes start."

"What are the other two arts?" asked Itachi.

"One's called Kidō," Yoruichi replied, "You two got a taste of it in the second phase of the exams."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "The last leg of the Pillar Run… that was those balls of energy the people on the shore were shooting at us, right?"

Shunsui chuckled. "I still can't believe Tessai let you drag him and his subordinates into Phase Two like that. You really are a devious woman, Yoruichi."

Yoruichi grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Jūshiro smirked. "You are correct, Jiraiya. Kidō, also known as the Demon Arts, is a form of combat that involves using spirit energy to cast spells. The people that were firing those blasts of energy at you and Itachi during the Pillar Run were members of the Kidō Corps, a branch of the Soul Society's military that specializes in spell casting as their primary method of combat."

"Tessai's the head of the Kidō Corps," said Yoruichi, "You saw him during Phase Two; he was the guy with the fancy blue robe."

Lisa's eyes widened. "You had the Grand Kidō Chief personally involved with the Academy entrance exams? I've never heard of him doing something like that before!"

"How'd you talk him into it?" asked Mashiro.

"Tessai's an old friend," Yoruichi replied, "Him, Kisuke and I all go way back."

"Who's Kisuke?" asked Itachi, scanning the room in case he'd missed someone earlier.

"He's the Third Seat of my division," said Yoruichi, "Kisuke Urahara's in charge of the Detention Unit, but he also likes to tinker and has all sorts of research projects that he's conducting on the side. Those trick pens from the first phase of the exams were made by him."

Jiraiya smirked. "Sounds like an interesting guy."

Yoruichi nodded. "That's certainly one way to put it. I'd say he's one of the smartest guys in the Soul Society, and he's always coming up with some crazy new invention. He's pretty friendly once you get to know him, but he can definitely come across as a bit of an odd-ball at first. Life's never dull with him around, that's for sure!"

Itachi leaned forward. "You said he's the head of the Detention Unit, right? Would I be correct in assuming that's some sort of prison detail?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. Basically, the Detention Unit's in charge of the imprisonment and supervision of all criminals in the Soul Society. It's under Squad Two's umbrella, which means I'm supposed to be the boss, but I like to let Kisuke run things on his own; he knows what he's doing and doesn't need me micromanaging him. Mastery of both Hakuda and Hohō are required for anyone working in the Detention Unit, and Kisuke's got both of those nailed down."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Hohō? Would that be the fourth style of Soul Reaper combat?"

"Yes," said Lisa, "It's a defensive style based on footwork. The key elements of it are speed and agility."

"The signature Hohō technique is Shunpo," said Jūshiro, "The user moves so fast that their movements aren't even perceptible to those of untrained beings. It's commonly referred to as the Flash Step."

Itachi's eyes widened in comprehension as he turned to Yoruichi. "That's what you did during Phase One, wasn't it?"

Yoruichi smiled. "You got it!"

Shunsui chuckled. "I still can't believe there was applicant dumb enough to pick a fight with the Flash Goddess."

"Flash Goddess?" Itachi repeated in confusion.

Shinji smirked. "Yoruichi's the best Shunpo practitioner in the entire Soul Society. She can make Flash Steps as casually as you and I might walk through a park."

"Don't forget she's also the fastest!" chirped Mashiro.

"Aw, you guys are way too nice to me!" said Yoruichi with a laugh.

Even with her faux-protest, there was an unmistakable hint pride in her voice, and it wasn't hard for Itachi to see why. Her movements both during the exams and the fight the night before had been nothing short of outstanding; Flash Goddess truly was an appropriate title for her.

"Hohō by itself isn't enough to win a fight," said Kensei, "That's why users combine it with either Hakuda or Zanjutsu."

"You'll get the full rundown soon enough," Love added, "It should be interesting to see how quickly you two take to it."

Yoruichi had a cat-like grin on her face as she regarded Itachi and Jiraiya. "If what I saw last night and during Phase Two today is any indicator, I think you guys are gonna be naturals at both Hakuda and Hohō. Squad Two would be a natural home for you once you graduate!"

Jūshiro smirked. "Looks like someone's a little eager with her recruitment pitch!"

"Come on, Yoruichi," said Kirio with a smile, "You can't hog the best applicants to yourself. They've both shown themselves to be rather intelligent, so I think Squad Twelve would be a suitable division for them. What do you two say?"

"Don't listen to her," said Shinji, "She'll have the two of you waste your time maintaining the archives."

Kirio folded her arms. "That's not true, Shinji! I already have plenty of good hands managing the library. I think Itachi and Jiraiya would be best suited to my field-study teams!"

Love shook his head. "Field-study? For two men capable of taking down a Hollow barehanded with no training whatsoever? No way, Kirio; these two are front-line fighters. If you guys want to go somewhere that'll let you put your talents to good use, Squad Seven's right up your alley."

"Not so fast," said Kensei as he regarded Itachi and Jiraiya, "If you two had the guts to take on a Hollow without the education of a Soul Reaper, then you'll be that much more formidable once you've graduated from the Academy. I can already tell that you two are the types who'll keep pushing themselves even after graduation. You should consider Squad Nine; I'll drive you two hard, but you'll thank me once you've unlocked your true potential."

Mashiro smiled. "We're also in charge of the _Seireitei News Magazine_! We're always looking for new editors and columnists, so if either of you have any writing talent you should join up with us!"

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, I was a novelist on the side while I was still alive. Never tried my hand at journalism before, but there's a first time for everything. I might just take you up on that."

"A novelist, eh?" said Shunsui, "I like a good book now and then. What was your genre?"

"Romance and comedy," he replied, "Life is meant for love and laughter, after all, and there's no reason why the afterlife can't be the same way!"

Shunsui had a good chuckle at that. "An argument I've made myself on more than one occasion. As long as we're all making recruitment pitches, I think you'd do all right in Squad Eight. Normally I only extend such offers to women, but I'm willing to make an exception here."

Jiraiya's face lit up. "Wait a minute, are you saying that, aside from you, your division is made up entirely of women? Count me in!"

Lisa groaned. "Don't be ridiculous; we accept both male and female recruits. This is one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, not my Captain's personal harem, no matter how much he tries to make it one!"

Shunsui laughed. "Now, now, Lisa; don't go scaring away a potential recruit. It's bad for the squad!"

"Please take no offense, Jiraiya," said Lisa, "but I can already tell that you'd be no different from my Captain here, and I can only handle one of him in Squad Eight. Itachi, on the other hand, would be a most welcome addition our ranks."

Jiraiya sighed, but Itachi could still see an amused light in his eyes. "Some guys really do get all the luck…"

"Captain Hirako, I'm rather surprised at your sudden silence," said Jūshiro, "Aren't you going to make a pitch for them to join Squad Five?"

"I'd rather wait for them to graduate from the Academy first," Shinji replied, "Don't get me wrong; you two had by far the most impressive exam results out of all the candidates, so it's clear that you've got a lot of potential. I just prefer to wait and see how students do at the Academy before making a recruitment pitch; the curriculum does a good job at illuminating the strengths and weaknesses of a potential Soul Reaper. Once I've had a chance to review your final test scores, I might just pay you a friendly visit before the graduation ceremony."

Jūshiro nodded. "A reasonable approach. That's usually mine as well, although I'm more than willing to scout the field, as it were. For what it's worth, I think you two will do very well at the Academy. When the time for graduation draws near, do keep Squad Thirteen in mind as a potential first assignment. We're always on the lookout for talented individuals, and I believe that every person has something special to offer to the division."

"That's a very open-minded approach to recruitment," said Itachi.

Jiraiya looked around. "Well, if nothing else, it seems like we'll have plenty of options for when we graduate. How come the other Captains aren't here?"

"They've either got duties to attend to or just weren't interested," said Yoruichi, "It's always a different batch of Captains each year that gather to review the entrance exam scores. Don't worry; once you two graduate, you'll meet the rest in due time."

"Do not become overconfident," advised Lisa, "You may have performed well in the entrance exams, but the Academy is not to be taken lightly. Expect a rigorous curriculum."

"Oh, they'll be just fine," said Kirio, throwing a friendly wink at Itachi, "and once they're done, it's straight to Squad Twelve with them! At the very least, I'd like to see _you_ join our ranks, Itachi!"

"I'm sorry, but I think you're mistaken," said Love with a smirk, "They're both _clearly_ meant for Squad Seven."

"No, Squad Nine calls dibs!" chirped Mashiro.

"That's rather premature," Lisa asserted, "Jiraiya's an open question, but I would contend that Itachi should come to Squad Eight upon graduation!"

Yoruichi laughed. "I knew you two would be popular! Jiraiya, don't take this the wrong way, but they can fight over you to their hearts' content. However…"

Before Itachi knew what was happening Yoruichi leaned towards him. There was a playful, almost feline, look in her eyes, and a moment later she licked him on the cheek.

"None of them are getting you, Itachi!" she said with a cat-like grin, "I'm marking my territory here and now; you're mine!"

It wasn't in Itachi's nature to blush, but he could feel a slight warmth coming to his just the same. Just how exactly was he supposed to respond to something like that?

Yoruichi chuckled, and the mischievous look in her eyes told Itachi that she had a pretty good idea regarding his current state of mind. "What's the matter, Itachi? Cat got your tongue?"

He was vaguely aware of the smirk on Jiraiya's face. "I'd say that's a pretty good way to put it."

"No fair!" Kirio pouted, "Yoruichi, that's cheating!"

Yoruichi folded her arms and smiled. "Hey, we never laid down any ground rules for claiming recruits, right? I'd say it's fair game!"

"Then if I lick him, that means he'll have to join Squad Nine!" cheered Mashiro, "Come here, Itachi!"

Kensei bopped her on the head. "Mashiro, cut it out! That's now how a Lieutenant is supposed to behave."

"But Captain Shihōin did it!" Mashiro protested.

"She's a Captain," Kensei countered, "She has greater leeway… even if some of her behavior doesn't necessarily set the best example."

Yoruichi laughed. "Oh, lighten up, Kensei! Let her have a little fun!"

Kensei folded his arms. "No offense, Captain Shihōin, but I don't need you rubbing off on my Lieutenant. If she falls under your influence, then the next thing I know she'll be Flash Stepping out of her clothes!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he turned to Yoruichi. "Wait… do you actually do that?"

Yoruichi gave him a playful smirk. "Want to find out?"

"Yes, please!" cheered Jiraiya.

"I… I don't think that's necessary," said Itachi, unused to feeling quite so flustered.

Jūshiro chuckled. "I'm with Itachi here, Captain Shihōin, as are the others I would imagine."

"Now, now," said Shunsui, holding up a hand, "Let's not be so hasty here! It's just starting to get fun!"

His Lieutenant whacked him on the back of the head. "With all due respect, Captain, keep it in your pants!"

Shunsui laughed as he rubbed the spot where Lisa had hit him. "All right, all right. I guess a Captain stripping down in the middle of an Academy conference room wouldn't be very professional. We'll have to save the exhibition for another time, Captain Shihōin."

"That's too bad," said Yoruichi, winking at Itachi, "I was ready to put on a show. Oh, well."

Shinji smirked. "There's never a dull moment when you're around, is there?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, me or Kisuke, really. Without the two of us, Squad Two would be a lot less interesting."

"Especially if that Lieutenant of yours was running the show," said Love, "What was his name again? You know, the guy that's got his head shoved up his ass because of how rich his family is?"

"Ōmaeda, I think," said Kensei, "Marenoshin Ōmaeda. Seriously, how did he wind up becoming your Lieutenant, Captain Shihōin? I know he's achieved Shikai, but he's not exactly talented with it. No offense."

"None taken," Yoruichi replied, "To tell you the truth, taking him on as Squad Two's Lieutenant wasn't exactly my choice. Sure, he met the requirements, but I had other potential candidates who weren't nearly as condescending towards others as he is."

"Do you not have the freedom to promote your own subordinates?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shook her head. "Normally I do, but this was a different set of circumstances. You two already know that I'm not just a Captain; I'm also part of the Soul Society's nobility. The Ōmaeda family isn't anywhere near as powerful as mine, but they're still quite wealthy and thus are inevitably part of the games that the noble houses like to play with each other. Long story short, he's my Lieutenant because of Soul Society aristocratic politics, and I can't get rid of him at will partly because of those politics but also because he possesses at least enough competence to do his job without requiring constant supervision. It's not an ideal situation, but it's one that I've learned to work around."

"You mentioned that he's achieved Shikai," said Jiraiya, "What's that?"

"Something you'll learn about at the Academy soon enough," Yoruichi replied before standing up, "Speaking of which, I really ought to get you two over to the student dorms now. It's tradition for a party to be thrown for the candidates that make it through the entrance exams, and it would look strange if the two top performing applicants weren't there. So as fun as this has been, I'm afraid we need to get going."

"That's a shame," said Jiraiya, "I was really enjoying myself here. Ah, well. If there's a party to be had, I'm not about to turn it down."

"It was nice to meet all of you," said Itachi as he and Jiraiya joined Yoruichi.

Jūshiro smiled. "Likewise. Best of luck with your time in the Academy."

"Enjoy yourselves!" said Shunsui with a grin, "The Academy doesn't have to be all learning and no fun, after all. My student days certainly had their share of adventures."

Jūshiro chuckled. "That's putting it mildly."

"Captain, stop setting a poor example for the new students!" Lisa scolded before turning back to Itachi and Jiraiya, "Please take your studies seriously. The better your grades, the better your chances of gaining a seated officer's position when you graduate from the Academy."

"Study hard," said Kensei, "I'm looking forward to seeing what the Academy will turn you into."

"Don't forget to subscribe to the _Seireitei News Magazine_!" chirped Mashiro, "Students get a discount, and the fees can be subtracted automatically from your Academy spending accounts, so you won't have to worry about forgetting payments!"

Shinji gave them a wave. "Have fun in class. Don't goof off too much!"

Love smiled. "Show everyone what you can do."

"Hit the books and keep your grades up!" cried Kirio, "I'm expecting great things, especially from you, Itachi!"

"Catch you all later," said Yoruichi as the door shut behind them, "Come on, let's get you two settled in."

Itachi nodded as they set off towards the student dorms. "Thank you for introducing us to them. It was a very informative experience."

Jiraiya smiled. "I'll say. You Soul Reapers sure are an interesting bunch!"

Yoruichi laughed. "Yeah, that's definitely one way to put it! Keep an eye out for the other Captains and Lieutenants while you're at the Academy; eventually most of the higher-ups will pay the school a visit at least once during your time there. Some hold guest lectures while others just observe students and try to find potential recruits."

"Does that include the Head Captain?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi nodded. "Occasionally, yes. Normally he just gives the big speech on the first day of the new school year, and he'll also address the year's graduating class as well, but every now and then he'll make an appearance that isn't ceremonial. Nine times out of ten it'll be during one of the history lecture halls; the Head Captain's by far the oldest Soul Reaper on active duty, so a lot of the events you'll read about will personally involve him."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Really? Just how old is he?"

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "Hard to say. He's been around since the founding of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, so the bare minimum would be over two-thousand years. I wouldn't be surprised if it was closer to three or four-thousand, but that's just my take on it."

Itachi's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Completely," Yoruichi replied, "He's the most powerful Soul Reaper in all existence; he hasn't lived so long in such a dangerous line of work by being a pushover, after all. Age hasn't slowed him down a bit, either. They say that at full-strength he's a match for every other Captain and Lieutenant in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads combined, and I'm inclined to believe that. You don't mess with the Head Captain if you want to live, take my word on that."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

"He's not thinking of retiring anytime soon?" asked Jiraiya, "Two-thousand years is a long time to be on the job."

Yoruichi shrugged. "He doesn't seem to mind it. From what I can tell, I don't think he'd ever consider doing anything other than what he is right now. The Head Captain will serve until he dies, and may it be a long time yet before that day comes."

Despite her casual attitude, Itachi could tell that her respect for the Head Captain was genuine. As swift and powerful as she was, she was still deferential to him, which made Itachi quite curious as to what the man was like. He supposed that he would find out one way or another in due time.

After leaving the main building and walking through a broad courtyard, they came to the student dorms. There were several small groups of people in front of the building, mostly consisting of students or faculty.

"Here we are," said Yoruichi, "If you head inside, just to the right after the front entrance is the student help desk. Tell the secretary your names and she'll tell you where your rooms are. There should already be some basic school supplies inside them, and you'll get more come orientation tomorrow. It's been a while since I've been here, but if I recall correctly the first-year students are concentrated on the second floor. There should be a common room in the middle; that's where the student parties are held."

"Thank you for everything, Captain Shihōin" said Itachi, bowing his head, "We wouldn't be here today if it was not for you."

Jiraiya bowed as well. "He's right. Thanks for all your help, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi smiled. "Hey, now, what did I tell you guys earlier? There's no need to get all formal with me. If you have to, call me Captain Yoruichi. Otherwise, Yoruichi works just fine."

Itachi couldn't help but give her a small smile in return. "In that case, thank you, Yoruichi."

Jiraiya smiled as well. "We owe you one."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "If you want to pay me back, then you can do so by showing the instructors here what you're really made of. The Hollow encounter last night and your exam results today are all I need to know that you two are something special, but the teachers here are another story. There'll be plenty of fun in your student days, and I definitely want you two to enjoy yourselves, but don't forget that this is first and foremost a school. Study and train hard, because by the time graduation rolls around I want to be able to make you two seated officers right out of the gate; you've definitely got the potential for it."

"I appreciate the confidence you have in us," said Itachi.

"You've earned it so far," said Yoruichi, "but the real work starts here. I've got no doubt that they'll put the two of you in the advanced track based on your test scores, which means you'll have twice as much work as the other students. Hit the books as hard as you hit that Hollow the night before, and your classmates will run out of breath trying to keep up with you."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us. Should be fun!"

"I give you my word that your faith in us will not be misplaced," said Itachi.

Yoruichi grinned. "Good. Well, it's getting late, and I need to get back to Squad Two. I'll see you two around!"

She turned to leave, but she had only gone a few steps before looking over her shoulder. "Oh, and Itachi?"

"Yes?" he said.

She gave him a wink. "If any of the other Captains swing by, do me a favor and don't let them sweet-talk you. Come graduation, you're mine!"

"I'll… try to remember that," said Itachi, once again unused to being so flustered.

"Glad to hear it," she said as she waved, "Catch you later!"

Jiraiya smirked at him as Yoruichi went on her way. "You Uchiha… your clan's just a bunch of natural-born lady-killers."

Itachi doubted that he'd meant his words as a barb, but they cut deep all the same. Even after all the time that had passed since the Uchiha Clan massacre, the wounds on his psyche were rawer than he let on.

"You have no idea," he said after a moment, his tone grim.

Jiraiya studied him carefully for a moment before speaking again. "Well, then, shall we go settle in? If they're hosting a party up there, it'd be a shame to miss it."

"Parties aren't really my thing," Itachi replied, "but I suppose it would look odd if I wasn't in attendance. An obligatory appearance will do, and then you and I have some business to attend to."

Jiraiya nodded, his eyes narrowing. "That we do."

….

For all of Itachi's misgivings, the first-year student party had actually been a rather relaxing affair. By the time he and Jiraiya had arrived food and drinks had already been set out and people were digging in. It had taken a few moments for everyone to realize that the two top candidates of the entrance exams had arrived, but once the word was out Itachi and Jiraiya had been pulled into the center of the festivities. Itachi had felt more than a little awkward at first; life on the run as a rogue ninja and member of the Akatsuki hadn't exactly improved his social skills, after all. However, his fellow students seemed to be a friendly and pleasant group overall, and they appeared to catch on rather quickly to the fact that he wasn't exactly a party person.

It hadn't taken Jiraiya long at all to establish himself as the jokester and overall life of the party. From what Itachi could see it appeared to be a role that the sage had slipped into quite easily. While the Sannin held court with lewd jests and tales of a rather seedy nature, Itachi was able to quietly settle in a little off to the side and field questions from the mainly female students that wished to chat with him. He remained guarded and refrained from telling them anything regarding his past life, but he was still able to politely engage his fellow students in small-talk and openly ponder with them just what exactly lay in store for them come orientation and the first day of class.

 _I don't think I ever experienced anything quite like this back when I was alive_ , he mused, _I graduated from the Shinobi Academy so quickly due to my advanced abilities that student life passed as a blur. My talents set me apart and got me noticed, but I wound up nearly isolated. Were it not for Shisui and Izumi… I could very well have not made any real friends at all._

As fun as the party wound up being, Itachi was keenly aware of Jiraiya subtly studying him the whole time. After what he deemed an appropriate amount of time had passed, Itachi excused himself and went to his room. A few minutes later there was a knock at the door, and Itachi knew who it was.

"Go ahead," he said.

Jiraiya opened the door. "So, are we having it out here?"

Itachi shook his head as he grabbed several sheets of paper and a writing board. "No. We'll go to the courtyard; at this hour, there shouldn't be many people there."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "All right, but what's with the paper? This isn't exactly a study session."

"Trust me," said Itachi as he stood up, "You'll thank me for bringing it soon enough."

It wasn't hard for the two former Shinobi to slip out of the dorms undetected. After they found a quiet corner of the courtyard and sat down, Itachi pulled a familiar object from his pocket and passed it to Jiraiya. The Sannin's eyes widened as he saw what it was.

"One of the pens from the first phase of the exams…" he said softly as he studied it before giving Itachi a smirk, "Well, well… you know how to plan ahead."

Itachi nodded as Jiraiya returned the pen. "Once I was able to comprehend the true nature of the writing utensils we had been given for the test, I realized that they might be able to serve a purpose beyond the entrance exams. If Yoruichi is right, once we learn to properly control our spiritual pressure these special pens will become useful only for writing, but since we have yet to reach that point I can apply them as an enforcement mechanism for my testimony."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "So, do you intend to write an essay with me watching your every move, then?"

"I'd call it more of a pop quiz, but some of the answers I'll provide may well be lengthy enough to be considered essays," said Itachi, "Ask me whatever you wish. If we run out of paper, I'll simply have to grab more. We both already know what will happen if I try to lie. Is this arrangement acceptable to you?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Sounds good to me. Let's get started."

….

 _I'll be damned_ , thought Jiraiya as he read all of Itachi's answers, _I was sure at least one of my questions would get him, but there wasn't so much as a spark. So…_

 _…it's all here, then._

He would give credit where it was due; Itachi had been quite thorough with his answers. Several of them really had turned into essays, and in fact the young man had needed two breaks to grab more paper to write on. Jiraiya was sure that it was well past midnight now, but he wasn't the least bit tired. Quite the opposite, in fact; with all that he had learned tonight, he knew it would be quite some time before sleep found him again.

His brow furrowed as he contemplated the testimony before him. The Uchiha Clan's downfall, Itachi's role in the Akatsuki, the real reason behind his reappearance in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and all the information he had gathered regarding the organization and its hunt for the Tailed Beasts… all that and more was staring him right in the face.

It was hard for him to find words for it all, or even just for a starting point, but he took a shot at it just the same. "So… Danzō, huh?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… although that does not excuse the part I played."

"It was all sanctioned, then," said Jiraiya as he scanned the written answers, "Danzō, the village elders… and even the Third Hokage."

Itachi shook his head. "Not quite. The Third Hokage only became aware of the true nature of my actions after the clan was murdered. He had still been pursuing a policy of negotiation and reconciliation, a course that Shisui and I had desired as well. Danzō's ultimatum came without the Third Hokage's consent or knowledge, although Lord Sarutobi gave retroactive approval after I reported to him."

Jiraiya sighed. After all that Itachi had told him, he had a good understanding of the position his late master had been forced into. It did not diminish his faith and pride in his teacher, but that did not change the fact that Jiraiya wished his old mentor could've found another way to handle the situation.

 _At least Danzō was formally stripped of his authority afterwards_ , he mused, _although given how cagey the bastard was, I doubt that was too much of an obstacle for him. I hope Tsunade can keep him in check._

"So, you made your report and struck your pact with him," said Jiraiya, "and then threatened Danzō for good measure. After that… well, it's all here, but I suppose I'll need a little more time to go over it all… and let it sink in."

"I would expect nothing less," Itachi replied, "and while I would not presume to rush you… I do need an answer."

Jiraiya gave him a hard stare. "You mean a judgment. _My_ judgment."

Itachi nodded. "Yes. I chose death in battle against Sasuke because I felt he was the only one worthy of avenging our family and punishing me for the sins I committed. Suffice to say that when I pictured the afterlife I was in for, the Soul Society was not what I had in mind. For reasons beyond my comprehension, I've been spared the flames of Hell."

"So, since the afterlife has not seen fit to punish you, I'm supposed to mete out a sentence instead?" asked Jiraiya.

"You yourself stated that you wanted to judge whether or not I was a threat to the other students at this school before I took my place in class with them," said Itachi, "You know quite well what I was capable of in life, and while in death I have lost a great deal of my former powers, the abilities that I have kept are still enough to make me dangerous. The same goes for you. In fact, if you and I were to fight right here and now… I believe you would win."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "And is that what you want? You already met your death in battle against your younger brother. Are you so eager to end your afterlife at my hands?"

Itachi sighed. "No. Although I do not believe that I deserve redemption, I would nonetheless like to join the ranks of the Soul Reapers and do what I can to protect those who have already passed beyond death's door. I will not pretend that this may grant me absolution; what I have done is beyond atonement. However, if I do have the power in the afterlife to defend others and act in a manner that would truly be appropriate for a Shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, then I would like the chance to do so. That being said, your mistrust in me is more than warranted given my past actions. If you believe that I would be a threat rather than a protector, then let's have it out here and now."

After a good, long moment of consideration, Jiraiya shook his head. "No. I will not fight you. As for the judgment you seek, I don't think it's mine to give quite yet."

"What do you mean?" asked Itachi.

"What I mean is that the situation is far more complex than I had originally realized," Jiraiya answered, "I don't necessarily condone your actions, but with all that's been revealed I would be wrong to simply condemn them out of hand either. I think it's clear that you got caught up in events that were beyond your control. You were handed some nasty choices, and the situation was far from black-and-white. Even taking your testimony in its entirety does not mean that I can come to a final verdict right away. It'll take some time for me to come to an appropriate conclusion. I'll have to give it a great deal of thought before I get back to you on it."

Itachi nodded. "I understand.

"I'm not finished yet," said Jiraiya, "Regarding the other students, at this point I am confident in that you don't pose a threat to them. Whether or not that will continue to be the case as your powers develop remains to be seen. That's why I'm going to continue to monitor you as we go through our training together."

"I would expect nothing less," Itachi replied.

Jiraiya smiled as he stood up. "In that case, I think we'd better head back inside. I'm all for staying up late and partying, but we do have orientation tomorrow. It'd be a shame to sleep through it, don't you think?"

He was surprised to see Itachi smirk as he rose to join him. "I suppose you're right. To think that we'll be students again after gaining such mastery of our crafts when we were still alive… is it strange that I'm actually looking forward to it?"

Jiraiya laughed. "Not at all. To tell you the truth, so am I. Don't get me wrong; I'll hit the books, but there's no rule saying I can't do that and cause a little trouble at the same time! It'll also be a great opportunity to start research for my new novel series, especially since the student dorms are co-ed!"

Itachi shook his head. "You're fortunate that none of our fellow students seem to be aware of the reputation you had when you were alive. Then again, I suppose there's no reason why the legendary Pervert Sage can't rise again in the Soul Society."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Now you sound like Naruto. 'Pervy Sage' was his version of the title. That kid just didn't understand the true nature of my research!"

"Keep telling yourself that," said Itachi.

As the two of them headed back inside, Jiraiya could not help but reflect on the strange new circumstances he found himself in. It was one thing to become a student again in order to learn how to harness his new powers; he truly was looking forward to that. It would be another thing entirely to be attending class alongside a man who had been known as one of the most notorious mass murderers in the history of the Hidden Leaf Village. At any other time Jiraiya would've dismissed such a possibility as completely outrageous, but after learning what he had tonight his thoughts on the matter were now much more complex.

 _Whether or not atonement for what he did in life is possible at this point is a question that I can't answer_ , he thought, _but if he truly is determined to seize the second chance that the Soul Society has given him, then it's not my place to deny it to him. It would seem that he truly wants to take this opportunity to reform himself, or at least serve in a manner that was denied to him while he was alive. That's more than I ever got out of Orochimaru. For now, all I can do is watch and wait. And so, starting tomorrow…_

 _…my watch begins._

 **Author's Notes:** So I'm sure you guys noticed the changes in old man Yamamoto's age, as well as that of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. That was intentional, and they'll play an important role later on when the history of this version of the Soul Society is explored in greater detail.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes:** All right, time to put another chapter up. A few of you have been asking me about whether or not Itachi's resurrection via Edo Tensei would come up at all in this fic, and my answer to that is yes. Specifically, it'll come up towards the end of this chapter, and the next few after will deal with the repercussions. You'll see what I mean soon enough.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Five: Student Life**

 **A few months later…**

"So, is this the right answer?" asked a rather busty red-haired girl named Julia.

Leaning over the table, Itachi checked his classmate's work before nodding. "Yes, that's it. Excellent work."

Julia smiled. "Oh, thank you! The only reason I got it was because you helped me earlier, though. You're the best, Itachi!"

"Itachi!" chirped the slender raven-haired girl next to Julia, who if Itachi recalled correctly was called Misako, "Can you check mine now, please?"

"No, he needs to check mine!" cried an athletic blonde named Maria.

"No, mine!" protested a lithe brunette named Anya.

 _How did I get to be so popular?_ , he mused, _I didn't ask these girls to study with me, yet here they are all the same…_

'Here' in this case was the main student library of Shin'ō Academy. Itachi had developed a habit of coming here after his daily classes to do his required readings and written homework because it was so much more spacious and comfortable than his tiny room at the dorms. He loved the place; the various books and scrolls were so neatly organized, and there was so much material to choose from. It was also much quieter than the dorms, although that was subject to change whenever his female classmates found him… which was becoming more and more common as of late.

"Calm down," he said, "This is a library, not the common room at the dorm. I'll check all of your answers, I promise."

Reviewing their papers, he found their work to be satisfactory. It really wasn't surprising; they were all in the advanced track with him and Jiraiya, so their wits were plenty sharp. In fact, Itachi had come to suspect that none of them really needed his help with their homework at all; they were just looking for an excuse to spend time with him.

True to his word, he had worked hard from day one to excel in his classes and thereby validate the faith that Yoruichi had shown in him. It hadn't taken long at all for his efforts to become noticed by both his instructors and his fellow classmates, and before Itachi knew it his name was at the top of the first-year student charts. He hadn't been looking to make a name for himself as a star pupil, but he had inadvertently done so just the same. With the diligence and drive that he brought to his studies, his rise had been swift, and Itachi wasn't about to stop pushing himself now.

 _I've learned so much in just a few short months_ , he thought, _I truly have taken my first steps into a larger world…_

The first official day of the new school year alone had been an eye-opening experience. Just like Yoruichi had told him, none other than Head Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had given the keynote speech at the opening ceremony. It was an address that Itachi would not forget anytime soon; never had he witnessed a man of such age that spoke with such gravitas. The Head Captain had by no means been flaunting his power, but even Itachi, untrained as he was in the arts of detecting and controlling spirit energy, could tell that the bald, heavily scarred and long-bearded man possessed strength beyond comprehension. No Kage that Itachi had ever met could come close to the level of sheer power that he suspected the aged Soul Reaper was suppressing; he imagined that even the mightiest of the Akatsuki would've been hard pressed to stand against him.

As impressive as the Head Captain and his address to the student body had been, even that took second place in Itachi's mind to the fact that he, Jiraiya, and all the other students were presented with Zanpakutō on their very first day at the Academy. From what Itachi understood, the blades that he and his classmates had been given were technically known as Asauchi. These were nameless Zanpakutō that the students were to train with until their own unique blades awakened, but they were still instructed to treat the Asauchi as if they were genuine Zanpakutō. What that meant was gradually becoming clear as their classes progressed, but Itachi knew that he still had a long way to go before all his questions concerning the blades of the Soul Reapers would be answered.

On the whole, the classes he was taking along with the rest of the students in the advanced track were quite fascinating. The first class of the day was known simply as Spirit Arts, and this was primarily focused on teaching the students to properly harness and control their spirit energy, although it also covered other general Soul Reaper activities such as performing the Konsō, or Soul Burial. After that came a combined course on the geography and the history of the Soul Society and how it interacted with the Realms of the Living, and Itachi had already proven himself to be the most detailed notetaker in that class. His reasoning was simple; he wanted to learn as much as he could about this new world he found himself in as quickly as possible, and thus he treated the class like a vital intelligence gathering mission similar what he might have undertaken during his time as a Shinobi. Following that was an introductory course on the nature of Hollows, and this was another class where Itachi was keen to maintain his diligence and gather as much knowledge as possible about the beasts that he would inevitably wind up facing upon graduation.

The other academic classes were rather tame in comparison, focusing on more mundane topics such as writing and mathematics. According to the instructors, courses such as these were meant more to make sure that aspiring Soul Reapers had a good fundamental knowledge base, and that they would gradually be reduced in number and duration as their studies advanced. They weren't held every day, but spaced out across the week so as not to put too much work on them on top of their already intensive combat training.

It was in the early afternoon following the lunch break that said combat training began in earnest. The first class focused on Zanjutsu, and that was naturally the one that was the most looked forward to amongst the bulk of the students. Although the course was focused primarily on fighting with the blade, there were also lectures on how to properly bond and meditate with one's Zanpakutō, and these were absolutely vital to awakening one's personal weapon. Following the swordsmanship course came Hakuda training, which was in turn followed by classes in Kidō and Hohō. It was in these combat courses that Itachi was truly able to begin applying the Shinobi skills of his past life, and the results had rapidly become clear; apart from Jiraiya, none of his fellow students could match him when the time came for sparring bouts.

In addition to their core courses, the students of the advanced track had been given the choice of enrolling in elective classes as well. While not required for graduation, the student counselors had noted that having elective courses on their transcripts made graduates more attractive for potential officer positions when the time came to join one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and certain Captains were apparently very keen on particular courses. Itachi's mind had immediately gone to Yoruichi, but it was difficult for him to imagine what sort of elective courses she looked for in candidates for Squad Two. Since it was only his first semester, Itachi had decided to go light on the electives for now and had chosen only one; an advanced civics course that covered the politics of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the Central Forty-Six, and the five greatest of the noble clans.

The student schedule and pace of education was far more grueling than what Itachi had experienced at the Shinobi Academy. Although classes were only held five days a week, the typical school day lasted roughly nine hours, and there was plenty of material to cover. The weekends were naturally valuable rest days, but even then Itachi refused to let up in his training, allowing himself only a few brief breaks before pressing his nose back to the grindstone.

With the manner in which he pushed himself combined with the gifts that his experience as a Shinobi provided, out of all the first-year students it was only Jiraiya that could keep pace with Itachi. Even then, it had soon become clear that the Legendary Sannin was taking a rather different approach to his education than Itachi was. While the sage got excellent marks, his was a much more relaxed presence in class. He was jovial, boisterous, and even willing to play the fool despite his keen intellect. Most of the time he wasn't outright disruptive, but based on the laughs of the students and the groans of the teachers it was clear that Jiraiya was determined to play the same role as class clown that he had been famous for during his own time at the Shinobi Academy and under the tutelage of the Third Hokage. Jiraiya was clearly embracing his return to life as a student and taking as much fun and amusement from it as he could, and Itachi sometimes found himself envying just how carefree the Sannin seemed. Of course, his laid-back attitude did not in the least conceal from Itachi the fact that the sage was still watching him carefully, although none of the other students or teachers seemed to notice.

 _Nor should they_ , thought Itachi, _Jiraiya's an experienced Shinobi; covert surveillance is something he's well-versed in._

"So, Itachi," said Maria, "Do you got any plans for the weekend?"

"Training and studying," he replied.

"Again?" pouted Julia, "You always say that, Itachi!"

"Because it's the truth," said Itachi calmly, "I still have much to learn, and I want to build up my knowledge and skills as quickly as possible."

"But you're already at the top of the class," said Misako, "You don't need to work all the time!"

"She's right, Itachi," said Anya with a smile, "Don't you ever take a break?"

"Yes," he said, "and what I do in my off time is my business."

"Well, you should include us in your off time this weekend," said Maria, "We found this great teahouse not too far from the campus, and we want you to come with us Saturday."

"Come on, it'll be fun!" said Julia with a wink, "What do you say, Itachi?"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm sorry. I really do appreciate the invitation, but I'm afraid that I already have plans."

Misako sighed. "Darn it. Here I thought we had something that was right up your alley."

"You can't say no to us forever, Itachi," said Anya with a smirk, "Sooner or later we'll find something that'll get you to break out of your routine. We'll make sure that you _really_ enjoy yourself!"

"Well, if he's turning you down, I can take his place!" said a familiar male voice.

Itachi didn't need to turn around to know that Jiraiya was behind him. He had a feeling he knew why the sage was really here, and it wasn't concerning the girls that had ostensibly approached Itachi for help with their studies.

It didn't take long for said girls to fall into their normal routine of rejection, starting with Maria. "No way, Jiraiya. Don't think that we've forgotten about last weekend!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Jiraiya protested, although his tone didn't exactly sound innocent.

Julia pounced. "Liar! Do you really expect us to believe that that _wasn't_ you sneaking around the baths?"

Misako folded her arms. "Pervert!"

"Now, now," said Jiraiya as he raised his arms, "I can assure you that there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for my actions!"

"If you say 'research' again, I swear I'm going to deck you!" Anya growled.

Itachi sighed. "Please refrain from that. This is the library, after all."

"What do you want, Jiraiya?" asked Maria.

Jiraiya smiled. "Oh, I'm just here for a chat with my pal Itachi… unless you lovely ladies have something more interesting planned!"

"Not with you," said Julia as she and her friends gathered their belongings, "We'll see you around, Itachi."

"Let us know if you change your mind about Saturday!" chirped Misako.

"You know where to find us!" said Anya with a wink.

Jiraiya chuckled and sat down as the girls left. "Turned them down again, eh? Why? From what I can tell, there's not a bad one in the bunch!"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "As I told them, I have plans. It wasn't anything against them."

Jiraiya shook his head. "I know, but even so, you're starting to worry me. It's good that you've got a solid training regimen going even outside our classes, but all work and no play won't do you any favors."

"I make time for recreation," Itachi countered as he reached for a particular book, "Even I need a chance to rest and unwind, after all."

Jiraiya sighed. "Look, as a novelist, I've got no beef with you curling up with a book in some quiet corner of the courtyard as a form of relaxation, but seriously; you have _got_ to get a social life, Itachi."

"I have one," Itachi quipped dryly, "It's called you attempting to badger me into joining you on one of your 'research expeditions' to the ladies' bath, and me sitting back and watching as the girls slap you senseless after they catch you. Truly, I could not ask for better entertainment."

Jiraiya laughed. "All right, I guess I walked into that one! It's a good thing none of them are as strong as Tsunade, otherwise I'd really be in trouble!"

"Indeed," said Itachi as a flipped a page in his book.

Jiraiya smiled. "Okay, be honest; if it was Yoruichi extending an invitation to that teahouse the girls mentioned earlier, would you say yes?"

Itachi nodded casually. "Of course. I could learn far more from her than the girls from earlier."

Jiraiya's smile became a knowing smirk. "Oh, really? You'd go along with her purely because she has more to offer from an intellectual standpoint?"

"She's a Captain," said Itachi, "That alone makes her a fascinating woman."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure."

"What are you getting at, Jiraiya?" asked Itachi, although in the back of his mind there was the suspicion that he already knew the answer to that.

After a moment Jiraiya shook his head. "Forget it. If you want to keep fooling yourself, so be it."

"Good," said Itachi, "That means I can get back to the research that the girls interrupted earlier."

Jiraiya leaned over to check the book's title. " _Comprehending the Web of Worlds_ … you know we already covered that in class, right?"

"We went over it, yes," Itachi replied, "but our instructors can only cover so much in a lecture, and there is far more that I seek to learn about these interconnected worlds than what the teachers have to offer."

With as little as Itachi knew about the afterlife, every lesson seemed to offer a fresh eye-opener. However, one of the biggest by far had been introduced early on in the semester when they'd sat through their first lecture on what the instructor had referred to as the Web of Worlds. It had completely shattered the conceptions Itachi had previously held regarding the world that he had lived in, and it was his first real glimpse into just how vast the Realms of the Living truly were.

The reason that they were referred to as the Realms of the Living was simple; there was more than one. _Far_ more than one. Itachi had been stunned to find out that the world he had lived and died in was in fact just one small thread in a truly monumental tapestry. At the very heart of this vast multitude of worlds was the Soul Society, and every other Realm of the Living was connected to it. Soul Reapers were dispatched across the Web of Worlds to cleanse them of Hollows and guide lost souls to the afterlife, but due to the sheer number of realms involved most received little more than a few token Soul Reaper visits each. In fact, the Shinobi World was actually considered one of the smaller and less important ones; the bulk of the Soul Society's forces were concentrated on a single world whose living population dwarfed that of the Shinobi World and most of the other ones. It had gone a long way towards explaining to Itachi not only why the Rukon District and the Soul Society itself was so vast, but also why he had encountered no one else from the Shinobi World apart from Jiraiya; the odds of such a meeting occurring were incredibly small.

 _Perhaps that's not such a bad thing_ , he mused, _I can't imagine an encounter with a member of my clan going well given what I did to them…_

"Well," said Jiraiya, dragging Itachi out of his thoughts, "as long as you're in a reading mood, I was hoping you could go over this for me."

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he read the title of the manuscript Jiraiya dropped in front of him. " _Lovers' Strategies, Book One: Oasis of Desire_ … so you're really going through with it, then."

Jiraiya grinned. "Yup. You know, I kind of got lucky when I died; the last book of the Make-Out Tactics series ended on a note that could be considered a proper ending for the saga as a whole. Now that I'm in the afterlife, a fresh new series is just what's needed!"

"And you seem to have gotten a good start on it," said Itachi as he rifled through the pages, "This is enough to fill a light-novel already."

Jiraiya nodded. "That's because it _is_ a light-novel, or at least it will be. I've got my first draft done, but I wanted to have a third party look it over and help me edit it before publishing."

"And I'm your go-to option?" asked Itachi, "I suppose I should be flattered if one of the Legendary Sannin wants me to help him get his new book off the ground, but the romantic-comedy genre isn't something I have a whole lot of experience with. You may find me to be a poor editor for something like this."

"Doesn't matter," said Jiraiya, "Just look it over and get back to me on it, all right?"

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then. I'll start tonight."

Jiraiya smiled. "Excellent. I'm looking forward to your input."

….

 **A few days later…**

"Not bad," said Itachi as he passed the manuscript to Jiraiya.

It was the brief break between their Zanjutsu and Hakuda classes, and the two of them were out in the hallway with their fellow students in the advanced track waiting to be called in by the instructor. There was a considerable air of excitement among the students; the teacher had mentioned the day before that there would be a guest observing the class today, and while the instructor hadn't gone into much detail regarding their identity he had let slip that the observer was an officer in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Itachi's mind had immediately gone to Yoruichi, and even though he had absolutely no proof that she was today's observer, there was a feeling in his gut that he couldn't dismiss out of hand.

 _Whoever it is, I'll still perform to the best of my abilities_ , he thought, _Even if it isn't her, word of a good showing on my part could get back to her. Either way, it can only help my post-graduation placement prospects._

"You really think so?" asked Jiraiya, dragging Itachi out of his musings.

He nodded. "Overall it seems good. I just marked a few grammar and spelling errors that I noticed. Like I told you before, though, I may not be the best person for editing a story like this."

Jiraiya shook his head and smiled as he put the manuscript away. "Don't worry about it. If all goes well, I should have the first copies in print a few weeks from now!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You already have a publisher lined up?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Yup! Remember Lieutenant Mashiro from the meet-and-greet after the exams?"

"Hard to forget," said Itachi, "It's not every day that a girl tries to lick me, after all. What about her?"

"You've got a subscription to the _Seireitei News Magazine_ , right?" asked Jiraiya.

Itachi nodded. "Yes, and I do remember that Squad Nine publishes it. What's that have to do with your new novel?"

"I sent in a letter to the newspaper office asking if they also handled novel publishing," Jiraiya replied, "Turns out they do, although it's not their main source of income. Having both the Squad Nine Captain and Lieutenant at that little gathering of ours after the exams were over is already paying off; I've got a meeting set up with Mashiro this weekend to pitch my book."

"Impressive," said Itachi, "Your networking skills are quite sharp."

"Of course, they are!" said Jiraiya with a smile, "That's an essential intelligence gathering skill, after all; you should know that."

Itachi nodded. "True enough. Best of luck with the meeting."

"Thanks," Jiraiya replied, "If it all pans out, I might just have you help me with editing the second volume, too."

"I make no promises," said Itachi.

It was at that moment that the instructor called them into the room. Unlike the lecture halls devoted to the more academic aspects of their education, the rooms devoted to their combat training were wide open. There were no desks or chairs, just space for drills and sparring. It didn't take long for Itachi to spot the guest observer, and when she met his gaze she gave him a friendly smile; it was Yoruichi.

Next to him, Jiraiya gave him a friendly nudge with his elbow. "Someone's happy to see you."

Itachi wouldn't give Jiraiya the satisfaction of a response, but that didn't change the fact that the feeling was mutual; it was good to see Yoruichi again. He didn't return her smile, but he did give her a nod of recognition, and that seemed to be enough for her.

Their instructor, a man with a receding gray hairline named Akifumi Kato, addressed the class. "Students, I'd like you to meet a very special guest. This is Captain Yoruichi Shihōin of Squad Two. She will be observing your drills and sparring matches today."

Yoruichi smiled and waved at the students. "Good to see you all again! Don't mind me; just go through your class as usual and act like I'm not even here."

 _Right_ , Itachi mused, _I doubt any of us will be able to do that… and she knows it._

"Now," said Instructor Kato, "let's begin our warmup exercises."

The first third or so of the class was relatively uneventful as Itachi, Jiraiya, and the other students followed their teacher through their drills. It was the normal routine; the real excitement would come once Instructor Kato began pairing up students for sparring matches. Given Itachi and Jiraiya's advanced skills, the teacher had long since ceased pairing them up with anyone other than each other; the former Akatsuki member and the Legendary Sannin were the only students in the advanced track capable of matching each other in a fight.

Itachi could feel Yoruichi's gaze lingering on him as he went through the drills, and when the time came for the sparring matches the excitement in her eyes was palpable. He couldn't blame her; he was actually rather eager to show her just how far his skills in Hakuda had advanced, and he couldn't ask for a better opponent to demonstrate his abilities against than Jiraiya.

"All right," said the sage with a smirk as the two of them squared off in their little section of the hall, "Don't think that I'll go easy on you just because she's watching."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Itachi replied as he dropped into an opening stance, "Ready when you are."

Jiraiya made the first move, lunging forward with a hard right hook straight out of the gate. Itachi ducked beneath the blow and struck back with a quick left jab, but Jiraiya had already brought his arm up to counter. Itachi had planned for that, though, and was already dropping low to make a sweeping kick. However, Jiraiya was ready for it, and he swiftly backflipped to evade the strike.

The move only bought the sage a brief moment of respite, for Itachi surged forward to take the initiative. He pressed hard with a series of swift and surgical punches and kicks, doing all he could to mix up his attacks and keep his opponent off balance. That was much easier said than done; Jiraiya was one of the most formidable hand-to-hand fighters Itachi had ever gone up against, and his years of experience exceeded those of the slayer of the Uchiha Clan. It would only be a matter of time before the Sannin was able to counter and regain the initiative, and Itachi was already bracing for it.

That moment came a few seconds later when Jiraiya grabbed Itachi's right leg mid-kick. Itachi was able to twist free of the sage's grip and leap backwards to regroup, but it was all the opening Jiraiya needed. Now it was Itachi that was on the defensive, and while he held a slight speed advantage over his opponent that was offset by the power behind Jiraiya's blows and the utter relentlessness of his assault. He was hard pressed to block and dodge the sage's attacks, and his onyx-eyes darted this way and that as he searched for even the tiniest of opportunities to turn things around.

A few moments later he found his chance and took it. There was the lightest of gaps between one of Jiraiya's punches and a kick, and Itachi used it to get in a quick jab at the sage's lower torso. Jiraiya was able to twist his body to bleed off most of the force behind the attack, but in doing so he ceded the initiative back to Itachi, who immediately went on the offensive.

As the two veteran Shinobi went back and forth between attack and defense, Itachi was keenly aware of Yoruichi studying his every move. Unfortunately, there was no way that he could shift his focus towards her even the slightest to gauge her reaction to his technique; the tiniest bit of distraction would be all Jiraiya needed to decisively end the fight. All Itachi could do was keep his gaze firmly on his opponent and fight with every ounce of skill that he could muster. It was as intense as all of his previous sparring matches with the sage had been, but at the same time Itachi could not deny the sense of exhilaration he felt as the fight went on. Here he was, going toe-to-toe with the man who had been one of the Third Hokage's greatest students, and holding his own to boot.

It was a shame that it was only in the afterlife that an intense yet friendly sparring match like this between the two of them was possible.

Yes, _friendly_. As strange as it might've been to imagine, the dynamics between the Legendary Sannin and the bane of the Uchiha Clan had shifted somewhat over the few months since their fight with the Hollow. While Itachi knew that Jiraiya was still watching him like a hawk for the slightest hint that he might become a threat to their fellow students and the Soul Society as a whole, that had not stopped him from treating Itachi like a colleague since they had enrolled in the Academy. It was an utterly surreal situation, one that Itachi was still trying to wrap his head around.

He lost track of time as their sparring match continued, with neither one of them able to land a decisive blow. The two of them almost jumped when they heard their teacher address them.

"Itachi, Jiraiya!" barked Instructor Kato, "Halt!"

The two of them broke off and took a moment to catch their breath before turning towards their teacher. The rest of their classmates had already ceased their matches and were beginning to form a broad circle. That meant only one thing; the assigned sparring matches were over.

Now the free challenge fights would begin.

The sparring portion of their Hakuda classes was always broken up into two halves. The first half was the assigned sparring, where Instructor Kato would try to match up students according to their skill levels to make sure that his pupils were facing off against someone that they were on roughly equal footing with. After that came the free challenge fights where, as the name implied, students were free to call out any of their classmates for a match.

Aside from the obvious rules behind the free challenge matches such as the prohibition of killing or severely injuring one's opponent, there was a layer of unspoken etiquette and protocol that the students were expected to observe. Winning the free challenge fights was a way to stake out one's position in class and advance their social status, but calling out students that everyone knew were weaker than the challenger was frowned upon. Itachi and Jiraiya had only ever challenged each other, and they had stopped issuing those challenges quite some time ago once Instructor Kato has decided to simply pair them up permanently for the assigned sparring matches. Other students had attempted to ascend the informal hierarchy by challenging either Itachi or Jiraiya, but the two former Shinobi had taken down so many challengers since classes had begun that now no one would call them out. The students would only challenge each other, but there was no explicit rule stating that; theoretically, _anyone_ in the hall at the time of the free challenge fights could be called out.

For the past few weeks now, Itachi had begun considering whether or not to call out Instructor Kato. At this point, he suspected that he had a decent chance at winning such a fight, and he imagined that Jiraiya felt the same way. However, he had never crossed that line because he did not wish for their teacher to lose the respect of his students. Kato was not just an instructor, after all; he was also a former Soul Reaper, and Itachi did believe in showing a measure of due deference to one who had put in his time on the front lines in the struggle against the Hollows. Nevertheless, the temptation was always there, but today it had been eclipsed by another desire…

…one that was fueled by the presence of the _other_ veteran Soul Reaper in the room today.

Itachi was under no illusions; there wasn't a ghost of a chance that he could win if he made this move. That wasn't the point, however. It wasn't about victory or defeat now; it was about truly understanding how far his skills had grown…

…and how far he still had to go.

As he and Jiraiya joined the circle, he heard the sage chuckle. "Oh, man. You're really going to do it, aren't you?"

"Nice to see that your powers of observation remain sharp," Itachi replied as Instructor Kato stepped into the middle of the circle, "Yes, I am."

Jiraiya grinned. "And here I am, without any popcorn. What a shame. This is going to be fun!"

"All right, students!" called Instructor Kato, "You all know the drill. Who will be the first to issue a challenge today?"

Before anyone else could make a move, Itachi stepped forward. A collective murmur went through the students of the advanced track, and a few broke out into cold sweats at what Itachi imagined was the thought of going up against him.

 _You can all rest easy_ , he thought, _I don't plan on challenging_ any _of you today._

He looked past his classmates and made eye contact with the woman who had saved his life just a few months ago. "I challenge Captain Yoruichi."

Every student with the exception of Jiraiya gasped. Even Instructor Kato was unable to maintain his composure; the teacher's face paled as he struggled to comprehend what Itachi had just done.

"Now, now, Itachi," he said, "No one here doubts your gifts in Hakuda, but this… this is…"

"My decision," Itachi finished firmly for him.

Instructor Kato turned to the lady of the hour, as it were. "Captain Shihōin, you don't have to humor him…"

Yoruichi held up her hand and grinned as she kept her gaze locked with Itachi's. "I don't _have_ to, true… but I _want_ to. Actually… I was hoping this would happen."

Instructor Kato's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "What? I… I don't understand!"

"Don't worry," Yoruichi replied as she stepped forward, shedding her white haori and revealing that same black sleeveless and backless uniform that she'd worn the night they'd first met, "You don't have to. You _do_ have to step back, however. Otherwise… well, it'd be a shame for you to get in the way and ruin my fun, don't you think?"

The teacher had no response for that other than to move back as far as he could. The rest of the students followed until Itachi and Yoruichi had almost the entire hall available for their fight.

 _Good_ , he thought as he saw the hungry look in her eyes, _I have a feeling I'm going to need it._

"I knew you were a bold one," she said as the two of them squared off, "On the very night we first met, you had the guts to go up against a Hollow unarmed and untrained. I'm glad to see that student life hasn't dulled that side of you."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you."

Yoruichi smirked. "Save the thanks until after you've shown me what you're really capable of. I intend to enjoy myself here, so you'd better not disappoint me!"

Itachi dropped into a ready stance, his gaze never leaving Yoruichi's. "I'll give you everything I've got."

The grin on Yoruichi's face was downright predatory now. " _Good_. Kato! We're waiting on you!"

The teacher jumped before stepping forward and raising his right hand. "Are you ready?"

Itachi and Yoruichi nodded, but they didn't spare Instructor Kato so much as a glance; their eyes remained locked on each other.

"Very well, then," he said, "Three…two…one…begin!"

Yoruichi pounced, and she was on Itachi like a bolt of lightning.

….

It wasn't a full Flash Step; Yoruichi had no intention of going all out against a student, even one as gifted as Itachi had proven himself to be. Still, the speed of her charge was nothing to be sneezed at, and Itachi was barely able to duck in time to avoid her opening punch. From there she immediately went on the offensive, going after him with a ferocious barrage of jabs, with the occasional kick and knee thrown in for good measure. To his credit, though, Itachi kept his arms up in a guard position, and thus he was able to block the strikes that he couldn't outright evade. Yoruichi wasn't about to let up here, though; she wanted to push him to his absolute limit and then some.

And Itachi was up to the challenge. As she pressed her assault, Yoruichi was impressed with how Itachi kept his cool even when under pressure from no less than a Captain like herself. That glint of focused intensity never left his eyes, and she could sense him looking for the slightest opening even when under such a withering barrage. Even when assailed by a foe as powerful as her, he remained calm and collected. There wasn't a hint of panic anywhere about him; he held mastery over his emotions, which was no small feat under these particular circumstances.

A slight shift in his stance was enough to tell Yoruichi that Itachi was ready to counter, and it came a moment later. As she threw a hard right punch she saw Itachi bend his left arm ever so slightly to alter the angle of his block. When her blow grazed his arm, he made his move with a swift right jab. Of course, Yoruichi was ready for it and proceeded to catch his fist in the palm of her hand. However, Itachi's response was immediate and fluid; he twisted his body and leapt back before she could get a solid grip on him. She was still able to retake the initiative, but she still marveled at his reaction speed.

 _His reflexes are incredible_ , she thought as she cut loose with a rapid-fire sequence of punches and kicks, _I've never seen a student move as intuitively as he does! And this is just after a few short_ months _of Hakuda training…_

It wasn't just his speed and instincts that impressed her. His footwork was top-notch, and despite how hard she was pressing him he wasn't anywhere close to being knocked off balance. Every move, no matter how small, was with purpose. He fought with precision and efficiency, spending only the energy that was needed, no more and no less.

He was an absolute _natural_ at Hakuda, and it only made Yoruichi all the more determined to get him into Squad Two the instant he graduated.

His stance shifted again ever so slightly, but this time it wasn't a counter that he had in mind. As Yoruichi made a high kick, Itachi dropped low and rolled to the side. He was back on his feet a second later, but he didn't attack; instead he backflipped to give himself some breathing room. Yoruichi wondered what he was playing at; he _had_ to know that she could close the distance in the blink of an eye, even without Shunpo.

And that was when he became naught but a flicker on the wind before disappearing entirely.

Even as her eyes widened in shock, that didn't stop Yoruichi from whirling around and blocking the blow she knew was coming. Sure enough, she caught Itachi's punch, causing him to twist and leap away again, but that didn't lessen her amazement at what had just happened.

He'd performed a _flawless_ Flash Step.

 _I don't believe it_ , she thought even as she went on the attack again, _Even in the advanced track, they should only be just going over the_ basics _of Shunpo in his Hohō classes right about now… and he_ still _pulled it off! Itachi…_

 _…you're a goddamn genius!_

The fact that he had needed a bit of space in order to accomplish it meant that his skills with the technique were still definitely in the development phase, but as far as Yoruichi was concerned that didn't detract in the least from what he'd just shown her. His progress with both Hakuda and Hohō were nothing short of phenomenal, and now she was seriously tempted to sit in on his Zanjutsu and Kidō classes in the very near future to see just what else he was capable of. She also knew that she would have some serious competition when the time came to get him into her division; at the rate his skills were progressing, every Captain in the Soul Society would be driving hard to get him into the ranks of their respective units by the time graduation rolled around. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if even Head Captain Yamamoto got in on the action once the word started to spread! 

She could tell that she wasn't the only one in the room that was impressed. Even as she continued her assault, she was keenly aware of the slack-jawed looks of stupefied awe on the faces of Itachi's classmates and his teacher. Even the smirk on Jiraiya's face had been wiped away, although from the way his brow was furrowed it was clear that he was intent on retaining his composure and studying every last detail of this fight.

And fight they did. Itachi might've been put onto the defensive once again, but Yoruichi could tell from the look of cold and sharp intensity in his eyes that he had no plans to yield just yet. Giving him a playful smile, she was more than willing to let this game of theirs continue. She knew that he was no fool; the thought of victory was the furthest thing from his mind in this contest. He sought to test himself against the best, and Yoruichi was happy to oblige him.

Now that he had proven himself capable of making at least one Flash Step in battle, Yoruichi felt that it was only fair to repay him in kind. She made one of her own, reappearing behind him. Had she been going all out she could've ended the fight right then and there with a swift blow to the back of his neck, but she allowed herself to slow just enough to give him the chance to whirl around and block her strike at the last possible moment. There was a knowing look in his eyes as their gazes met, and he gave her the slightest of nods in thanks for her generosity.

 _You've earned it, Itachi_ , she mused with satisfaction, _Now show me what else you can do!_

His answer was not long in coming. He dropped low and made a sweeping kick with his right leg. Yoruichi fluidly backflipped to avoid it, but it still gave Itachi the chance to move forward and being a new offensive. Punches, kicks, and the occasional knee and elbow flew forth in a furious yet efficient assault. Yoruichi was able to easily stay one step ahead of her sparring partner, but she was still willing to give silent praise to Itachi's technique and decided to let him keep his initiative for a little longer before seizing it for herself.

She was a Captain; she had other duties to attend to and could not linger here for the rest of the afternoon. Yoruichi was sorely tempted to do just that, however. With her talents for reading opponents and gauging their strength it was a simple matter for her to adjust her pace just enough so that Itachi could barely keep up with her. She was a teasing cat playing with an adventurous kitten, and she couldn't recall the last time she'd had so much fun in a training match.

 _I really don't want this to end_ , she thought wistfully as she blocked and evaded Itachi's strikes, _Itachi… you really know how to show a woman a good time!_

Unfortunately, it _did_ come to an end. To make matters worse, it was not in a manner anywhere close to what she might've wished for.

It started when she saw Itachi's stance waver ever so slightly. At first, she thought it might be from exhaustion, but she quickly realized that wasn't the case. Something was wrong; she could sense his spiritual pressure fluctuating in minor but rapidly growing pulses. His fair skin was starting to pale, and she spotted a cold sweat begin to break out on his brow. The young man's footing became shaky, and a moment later he lost his balance outright and stumbled forward, falling right into Yoruichi's arms.

"Itachi!" she cried as she caught him and knelt down, resting his head on her knee, "What's wrong? Talk to me!"

His eyelids fluttered rapidly, and his breathing became shallow, but he was still able to meet her gaze for a brief moment. "Yoruichi…"

A second later he passed out.

"Itachi!" screamed one of the girls in the audience.

"What's wrong with him?" cried another.

"Captain Shihōin…" said Instructor Kato nervously.

Jiraiya came forward, and while his expression was grim, to his credit he was much calmer than either his classmates or his teacher. "We need to get him to the infirmary."

Yoruichi shook her head as she put her hand to Itachi's forehead. "No; this isn't some typical fainting spell. His spiritual pressure's all over the map, and he's already burning up! The Academy infirmary won't be able to help him!"

"Then who can?" asked Jiraiya.

Yoruichi's answer was immediate. "Captain Unohana."

Without another word, she gently lifted Itachi off the ground. Carefully cradling him in her arms, she disappeared from the training hall with the young man a moment later. Flash Stepping like she never had before, she raced for the Squad Four barracks.

 _Hang in there, Itachi_ , she thought as she glanced down at him, _I don't know what's happening to you right now, but I am_ not _going to let it take you!_

 _I_ will _save you!_

….

As soon as Yoruichi brought Itachi inside, Unohana wasted no time in getting to work. "Lieutenant Yamada, anchor him to the bed! Now!"

Seinosuke Yamada, the raven-haired and black-eyed second-in-command of Squad Four, nodded before beginning a Kidō incantation, yellow energy already crackling in his palm. "Hold, ye lord of mask and bone, to be cleansed of all impurity! Grasp penance in bonds of light! Bakudō 30: Shitotsu Sansen!"

Using the energy in his right hand, the Lieutenant drew an inverted triangle in the air. From each point of the triangle grew three pins of yellow energy, and a second later those pins flew forth and slammed into Itachi, one hitting each shoulder and the third his lower torso.

Yoruichi's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing? Unohana!"

"Calm down, Captain Shihōin," said Unohana firmly, "I give you my word that Itachi shall not be harmed. I have seen this before, albeit rarely; swift action is required to mitigate the worst of it. Please, stand back."

Yoruichi nodded, taking a moment to regain her composure. "Of course, Unohana. My apologies."

Unohana gave her a gentle smile. "It's quite all right. Do not fear; I will not let the Soul Society be robbed of such a gifted potential Soul Reaper as Itachi."

Returning her gaze to her patient, she stepped forward and motioned for her Lieutenant to step back. Holding out her arms over Itachi, she began an incantation of her own.

"Be still, heart of bird and dragon," she chanted, "May rest be upon you, oh wandering spirits of the mountains. Turn your gaze inward, and find your tranquility. Goyōgai!"

A translucent yellow prism of spirit energy enveloped Itachi. As this was a barrier using her own power, Unohana's hands were able to pass through it, and she laid them upon Itachi's brow. Sea-green energy enveloped them as she began to call upon her gifts in the path of Kaidō to begin what she knew would only be first of many healing sessions to come.

"It's as I feared," she said as the soothing energy continued to course from her hands to her patient, "Itachi is suffering from a soul fracture."

Yoruichi's eyes widened. "Wait a minute… you mean that…?"

Unohana nodded as she continued her work. "It would seem that someone within the world that Itachi is from has a form of resurrection technique at their disposal. Such a thing is hardly ever seen, but at the same time it is not entirely unheard of."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "Hold on a second. I thought that most resurrection techniques that have been recorded by the Soul Society have to be applied almost immediately after someone's death. Itachi's been in the Soul Society for months now!"

"That is correct," Unohana replied, "and that is why the soul fracture is occurring. Had whatever technique is being utilized now been unleashed within a day or so of his arrival, his entire soul would've gone back to the world from whence he came. However, as you so astutely put it, that was not the case here. Due to the extensive amount of time that has transpired since his death, Itachi's soul has already acclimated to the Soul Society. That is why the revival technique that was used in his world only took a portion of his soul; the rest remains bound to the Soul Society."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Maybe, but… how do we keep it that way? From what little I've heard about soul fractures, once it happens…"

"It is incredibly difficult to keep the portion that remains in the Soul Society from splintering further," Unohana finished for her, "That is why I had Lieutenant Yamada bind him to the bed, and it is also the reason for my use of Goyōgai; it is imperative that we do all that is possible to preserve the half of his soul that remains here. If it is not protected and monitored, it could deteriorate to the point that we lose him entirely. As long as he remains within the Squad Four barracks, I can watch over him and make sure that his rest is peaceful and that his soul has a chance to recover."

Yoruichi sighed with relief. "That's good to hear. I'm glad I was able to make it here as quickly as I did."

Unohana smiled while continuing to apply her Kaidō to Itachi. "As am I. However, I am afraid that it is only within my power now to sustain Itachi's soul. There is only one way to fully heal Itachi's soul; the portion that went back to the Realm of the Living that he is from must return here."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "Which means he'll have to die again in the world that he originally came from. Whoever did this to him has no idea what kind of cruelty they've just inflicted upon him."

"Indeed," said Unohana somberly, "That is why resurrection techniques are forbidden within the Soul Society; to attempt to reverse the flow of souls ultimately does more harm than good, no matter what the reasons behind the effort may be."

"How long do you think he'll be like this?" asked Yoruichi, unable to hide the concern in her eyes as she gazed at Itachi.

Unohana shook her head. "It is difficult to say. Cases of soul fracturing are incredibly rare, so the body of medical knowledge regarding them is unfortunately quite limited. However, from what little information I have studied of this phenomenon, I believe that the amount of time a resurrection can endure may be proportional to how long the person revived was initially dead. Since Itachi was in the Soul Society for a few months before this revival technique was utilized, it is possible that it will come undone within a relatively short amount of time. Unfortunately, this is little more than conjecture; I can offer no real timeframe. He could linger in this state for months… or even years."

Yoruichi nodded, and Unohana was heartened to see the light of determination in her eyes. "I understand. Please, do all you can for him. Keep him safe until he can rejoin us."

"You seem quite confident that he will," said Unohana.

Yoruichi smiled. "I was sparring with him when he collapsed. Unohana… you have no idea how far he's come since that night we saw him and Jiraiya take on that Hollow. He's strong, and he has so much potential within him. He'll make it through this. Call it a gut feeling."

Unohana nodded. "Your feelings have more often than not been right in the past, so I see no reason to doubt them now. Rest assured that I will do everything within my power to care for him. As soon as the two halves of his soul are reunited and he wakes up, you will be the first person I send a Hell Butterfly to."

Yoruichi bowed. "Thank you, Captain Unohana."

She stepped forward, and Unohana saw her hand hover just over the surface of the barrier. "Rest up, Itachi. I'm willing to bet you'll have quite a bit of catching up to do with your classmates once you come to. I'll help you get back on track when the time comes."

Yoruichi then headed for the door. "I'll try to swing by periodically to check in on him. Thanks again."

Unohana nodded. "You are most welcome, Yoruichi."

The door shut behind her, but as Unohana turned back to her patient she could not help but notice that her Lieutenant was looking back and forth between the door and Itachi. There was a puzzled look in his eyes.

"Is something bothering you, Lieutenant Yamada?" she asked.

"Well," her subordinate began, "Captain Shihōin… she seemed awfully concerned about our patient. Isn't he just a student? No matter how gifted he may be, she seems to be considerably more invested in him than a Captain should."

Unohana smiled. "That may be, but I don't think that's any concern of ours. Return to your duties, Lieutenant."

Yamada nodded. "Yes, Captain!"

 _It_ is _interesting, though_ , she mused, _I wonder…_

She shook her head as she returned her attention fully to Itachi. She would have time to ponder her fellow Captain's behavior at a later date. For now, she had a patient to attend to, and she was determined to give him the very best care that she was capable of providing.

….

The first thing he felt was the sensation of a cold and hard cobblestone pathway on his back. Faint rumbles of thunder and the whisper of the wind were in his ears. As Itachi struggled to open his eyes, he was confronted by the sight of storm clouds in the sky above. However, they were not _normal_ storm clouds; they all seemed to have a hint of crimson to them, and the occasional flash of lighting in the distance was the same color.

"Where am I?" he murmured as he climbed to his feet.

Patting himself down, he didn't find any sign of injury. His sword was at his side, and his student robes did not appear to be damaged. Looking around, he found himself in a world unlike any that he had ever seen before.

In addition to the oddly colored storm clouds and flashes of lightning in the sky, there appeared to be a faint red light that was mostly obscured by said clouds. For a moment Itachi thought it might be the sun, but after a few seconds he realized that it was actually the moon. What surrounded him on the ground was no less strange than the alien sky. While the pathway that he was on looked like many others that he had seen both in the Shinobi World and the Soul Society, the long rows of stone lanterns that flanked it on either side each housed an eerie blood-red flame. Beyond the lanterns were trees as far as the eye could see, twisted and withered without a single leaf on them, and the color of the bark looked uncomfortably similar to that of dried blood.

 _This is not the Soul Society_ , he thought, _and it certainly isn't the world I inhabited while I was still alive. So what is this place?_

With no other landmarks in sight, Itachi decided that the simplest course of action for the time being would be to follow the path before him. After several minutes of doing so he spotted what looked like a large rock jutting out of the path in the distance. Picking up his pace, he peered closer and spotted what looked like a person sitting atop the stone outcropping.

As he drew near he was able to identify the figure… or at least, to a certain extent. He had no idea who they actually were, but he could at least tell that it was a woman.

A woman unlike any that he had ever seen before.

Her midnight hair flowed well past her waist, its lustrous sheen amplified by what little crimson moonlight managed to filter through the clouds above. Her eyes were scarlet gems, and as they cast their gaze upon Itachi he could see a piercing light in them. Her pale skin was a sharp contrast to the tattered black robe she wore. At least, Itachi _thought_ it was a robe at first, but upon closer inspection he realized that it was not one in the traditional sense. What he had assumed was normal fabric appeared to be something else. For a moment Itachi thought it was feathers, but then his eyes widened as he saw it flicker and ripple, and he began comprehend what it _really_ was.

The black flames of Amaterasu.

As he came to a stop at the foot of the rock, the woman stretched out her arms, gesturing to the strange land that surrounded them. "What do you think of my realm, Itachi Uchiha? Actually, I suppose _our_ realm would be a better way to put it."

Itachi looked around for someone else, only for the woman to shake her head. "It's just you and I here, Itachi. No more, and no less."

"You have me at a disadvantage, miss…" he said.

The woman's lips moved, but Itachi could not hear what she said. After a moment she repeated herself, but again Itachi heard naught but silence. Even lip-reading was to no avail; a strange flicker of light obscured Itachi's gaze just enough so that he could not grasp enough detail to tell what she was saying.

A few seconds later the woman shook her head. "I should've expected this. After all, this is only the first time we've met. Truth be told, we were not supposed to meet for quite some time to come, but certain circumstances forced my hand. Had I not acted in this manner, there is a good chance that we might never have had the chance to meet at all."

"What are you talking about?" asked Itachi as he looked around, "What is this place? Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "Surely you can figure that out. Consider your education carefully, Itachi. You may only be a few months into your term at the Academy, but you have already learned all you need to divine the nature of both myself and this realm."

His eyes narrowed as he studied her with great intensity. They had never met before, but now that he thought about it there were certain aspects of her appearance that were familiar. The black flames of Amaterasu that made up her clothing were obvious enough, but there were also her eyes; though they lacked the signature orbiting tomoe, her irises were the exact same shade of red as that of the Sharingan. There was also the fact that he had been unable to hear her name when she had uttered it, and some mystical force had prevented him from divining it by lip-reading. That was all he needed for the pieces to fall into place.

"This is my inner world," he said, "and you are my Zanpakutō."

She gave him an approving nod. "Very good. That was much quicker than I had anticipated. I'm pleased to see that the soul fracture has not impacted your wits."

Itachi raised his eyebrow. "Soul fracture? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The event that forced my early awakening," the woman replied, "Tell me, Itachi; what do you know about resurrection jutsus?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "That they're very rare… and very dangerous. They are also twisted, at least in the opinion of the majority."

"There is plenty of reason for that opinion," said the woman, "That does not change the fact that such techniques still exist, and that one has been used on you. Had your death only been a day or so ago, it would've brought you back in your entirety. However, since you have been in the Soul Society for some time now…"

"My spirit had acclimated to the new environment, and so it split when the resurrection jutsu was performed," Itachi finished for, his mind already following the evidence and implications to their logical conclusions, "If that is the case and part of my soul has returned to the Shinobi World, it would stand to reason that the rest remains in the Soul Society. Why am I here, then, instead of the Seireitei?"

The woman nodded. "A good question. The answer is rather complicated."

Itachi looked around. "I don't see any other pressing matters to attend to here, so I have time for an explanation."

"Very well, then," said the woman, "To begin with, I believe that the part of your spirit that remains in the Soul Society _is_ still in the Seireitei. When the soul fracture began, I awakened and opened your inner world so that I might attempt to anchor you and prevent you from being lost entirely. However, you were most fortunate to be sparring with the swiftest Soul Reaper in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads at the moment the fracture occurred; if my guess is correct, I believe Yoruichi has taken you to the Squad Four barracks. The portion of your spirit that remains in the Soul Society will be under the care of Captain Unohana and her subordinates until the resurrection jutsu comes undone and the pieces of your soul are reunited. However, your _awareness_ , your _consciousness_ , for the part of you that remains in the Soul Society, is now _here_."

"What about the part of my soul that went back to the Shinobi World?" asked Itachi, "Can you tell me what is happening there?"

The woman shook her head. "I'm afraid that's beyond my power. Once the pieces of your soul are reunited, the memories of the portion that went back to the living realm will merge into those that you already possess and will answer your questions. I do not reside with that portion of your soul, though, so I cannot see into the realm that it inhabits now."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. Do you at least have a sense of how long this may last?"

"No," the woman replied, "In that, I am as much in the dark as you are. That is why it is best that we do not spend this time sitting idly; I would hate for you to lose your sanity due to boredom before your spirit is whole again."

"That makes two of us," Itachi quipped, "So how do you propose that we pass the time? I didn't see a library or teahouse on my way over here."

The woman gave him a mischievous smile. "Oh, don't worry. I have something _far_ more exciting in mind than books or tea."

She held out her right hand, and a pillar of black flames came forth. A moment later the flames dissipated, revealing a sword unlike any that Itachi had ever seen before. From handle to guard to blade, the weapon was almost entirely black. It was a straight sword, and on closer examination it wasn't a completely solid blade; there was a thin gap in the middle that ran from the base to the end, resulting in two points that were very close together. The handle and the guard were different from the traditional ones that Itachi was used to; the guard was ornately carved and looked like a pair of raven's wing pointed downward. Where the wings met was the only part of the weapon that wasn't black. There was a crimson eye set right in the middle, and it was the exact same shade of red as the iris of the Sharingan.

"You will take time to rest while you are here, Itachi," said the woman, "but when you are not resting, you will be training. You will be training with me for as long as you are here. Perhaps days, perhaps weeks, perhaps months, or perhaps years. It matters not. We will train together… and I shall forge you into a swordsman without equal."

The woman raised her blade in salute, an eager smile on her face. "Shall we begin?"

Itachi nodded as he drew his sword. "Ready when you are."

Her smile became a hungry grin. " _Good._ "

Then she was on him like a demon from the deepest pits of Hell.

 **Author's Notes:** Well, there you have it; the initial impact of Edo Tensei on Itachi's soul, and also the first meeting with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. Also, the way I've structured the Soul Society for this fic as a kind of 'hub afterlife', for want of a better term, was the method I decided would be best in order to facilitate the coexistence of the Bleach and Naruto universes. The Web of Worlds and the Realms of the Living will be explored in greater depth further along in the story.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:** All right, here's the next one, just like you've been asking for!

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Six: Recovery**

 **A few weeks later…**

She was pressing hard today. Itachi had been almost constantly on the defensive throughout this latest match with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. Backpedaling as he blocked or deflected one blow after another, it was difficult for him to find even the smallest of openings needed to make a counterattack. There was a certain vicious efficiency to her fighting style, relentlessly exploiting even the tiniest of gaps in Itachi's defenses and making him pay for the slightest mistake in blood.

 _Zanpakutō spirits are supposed to embody key aspects of ourselves_ , he thought as he fended off one attack after another, _but her mastery of the sword… it's far beyond anything I ever achieved when I was alive. Her speed, precision, power and brutality… I've never seen anything like it. Even the Samurai of the Land of Iron could never hope to match her._

How long had this latest match gone on? It had started almost the moment that Itachi had woken up in the morning, and had continued for hours on end. Of course, concepts like 'morning' and 'night' were irrelevant here; the sky above had remained the same since his arrival, with the red-tinted storm clouds, crimson flashes of lightning, and the faint scarlet light of the moon ever-present. The flow of time was very difficult to discern in a place such as this, although the spirit of his Zanpakutō seemed to have a pretty decent handle on it. It was she who told Itachi when to sleep, when to wake, and when to fight, so it stood to reason that she must have had some way of determining how much time had passed in the outside world.

Of course, she had not seen fit to provide that knowledge to Itachi. Only his training concerned her, and as ruthless a taskmaster as she had proven to be, Itachi would not deny that her methods were quite effective. There was no better teacher than experience, after all, and the countless hours that they had already spent fighting against each other were honing Itachi's swordsmanship skills better than any training that he had undertaken while he was alive. Had she materialized during his Zanjutsu lessons at Shin'ō Academy, Itachi highly doubted that any of his instructors would've been able to stand against her.

 _If only I could learn her name…_

Every day he had asked, and every day silence had been her answer. Not willful silence, mind you; her lips had moved, but no sound had come forth. Even with all the time that had already passed, it seemed that Itachi was not ready to unlock his Shikai. When he had asked her how long it would be until he could hear her, she had simply shaken her head and told him that she did not know. There was no set time-period; it would happen when it was meant to happen, no sooner and no later.

 _"Put it from your mind for now,"_ she had told him once _, "It is no small feat simply for you to have reached your inner world after such a short amount of time, even if the manner in which you arrived was not entirely conventional. Most Soul Reapers do not accomplish this task until well after graduation from the Academy."_

Once Itachi had learned that he was to remain in his inner world until the portions of his soul were reunited, he had become concerned about how far behind he would fall in his studies of the Soul Reaper arts. His fears weren't entirely ungrounded; the spirit of his Zanpakutō had outright stated that she would not be able to help him advance his academic education, and that she would be a poor teacher with regards to Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. He would have much to catch up on once his spirit was whole again, but one thing was quite clear; he would most certainly _not_ be behind when it came to Zanjutsu.

His foe picked up the pace, and Itachi could sense that this duel was at last drawing to a climax. He gave everything he had, parrying, deflecting, and blocking with all the skill and strength that he had to muster. However, after fighting for who knew how many hours now, exhaustion was beginning to set in. The near-constant fighting he had done since entering his inner world had worked wonders for his endurance, but even then, his stamina was but a pale shadow when compared to that of the spirit of his Zanpakutō. It was only a matter of time now until his foe scored the winning hit, but Itachi was still determined to make her work for it.

Sidestepping and redirecting her latest thrust, Itachi seized the rare chance to go on the offensive. Had he been fresh and well-rested, he might've been able to make the most of it, but the slashes and stabs he made were not as efficient or precise as the situation required. His opponent was able to parry and counter, and she made Itachi pay for his weariness with a swift slice into his left shoulder. She then brought the blade to his neck, and Itachi could smell the blood on it.

"Match," she said with a smirk, "Not bad, but your stamina needs improving."

"So I've noticed," he said with a wince as he sheathed his sword before checking his shoulder, "Good thing this isn't deep."

The woman nodded. "Indeed. Get the cloth away from the cut."

Itachi grimaced; he knew what was coming, and it was never pleasant. Nevertheless, he did as she instructed. As soon as she had clear sight of the cut, she pointed her sword at it. A small jet of crimson flames flew forth from the gap in the blade, searing and cauterizing the wound. It hurt like hell, but Itachi didn't make a sound.

That was something the woman made note of. "Not so much as whimper, just like last time. You truly do have a remarkable level of pain tolerance."

"You would know," Itachi quipped.

The woman gave him a stern look before nodding. "Indeed. I think that's enough for one day. We'll continue tomorrow. Get some rest."

She turned around and started to head towards the rock that he had first seen her on, but Itachi stopped her. "Wait."

She halted, but did not look back. "What is it?"

"What's your name?" he asked.

She turned around, her lips moved, but once again there was only silence. Itachi sighed; even if she had already told him not to worry about it for now, it was still frustrating.

The woman shook her head. "Why you insist on asking every day, I'll never know. It's better to let this play out naturally. As our bond progresses, the time will come when you will be able to tell by instinct alone that you are ready to unleash my Shikai."

"I'll still keep asking," said Itachi.

The woman sighed. "I suppose you will. Good night, Itachi."

As she retreated to her rock, Itachi picked a spot off to the side of the path and laid down on his back. Gazing up at the stormy sky, he found it odd that despite the thunder and crimson lightning not a single drop of rain had fallen since he had arrived here. After pondering it for a moment he shook his head; very little about his inner world made sense, so why should its weather behave in a sensible manner?

 _You have more important things to worry about_ , he thought as he closed his eyes, _like just how hard she's going to come at you tomorrow morning…_

….

"There," said Unohana, pointing at Itachi, "The left shoulder this time."

Yoruichi nodded as she saw the cauterized cut. "Must be going at it with his Zanpakutō again. At least he's being productive while he's down and out."

This wasn't the first time Yoruichi had seen wounds like this appear on the unconscious Itachi. The first time she had seen it was the day after he had been left in the Squad Four barracks. Unohana had sent her a Hell Butterfly that day, and when Yoruichi had arrived she'd seen a long and shallow cut across Itachi's chest. The Squad Four Captain had easily been able to heal it, but another wound had appeared soon afterwards. Yoruichi had been amazed once she'd realized what was happening; it was practically unheard of for an Academy student to enter his inner world and train directly with the spirit of his Zanpakutō, but Itachi had done exactly that. It may not have been intentionally; according to Unohana, it appeared that his Zanpakutō had awakened prematurely in order to mitigate the worst of the soul fracture. Nevertheless, it was still impressive.

Itachi was no longer bound by the piercing light of Shitotsu Sansen; from what Unohana had told Yoruichi, that had become unnecessary after about a week had passed. The translucent orange prism of Goyōgai was still active, and periodically the Squad Four Captain or her Lieutenant would renew it or take it down so they could tend to the wounds that had begun to appear on Itachi. Yoruichi wished that she could peer into his inner world and see just what form the spirit of his Zanpakutō took, not to mention witness their fights, but unfortunately that was beyond her power.

What _was_ within her power, though, was the ability to keep informed of his condition, and Yoruichi was intent on doing that. She did not neglect her duties as the Captain of Squad Two, but she still made time for regular visits to check in on the star pupil she had scouted months ago. She typically visited in the early evening, and she was glad that she had made room in her schedule to do so, for even when he was out cold, Itachi had still proven himself to be a most intriguing individual.

It wasn't just the new wounds that gave testament to his progression; it was the sword that lay on the table next to the bed as well. The Asauchis given to students at the Academy all looked the same; it was only after a pupil had truly awakened the spirit of his or her Zanpakutō that the weapon became unique. Itachi's had done so, and Yoruichi was quite curious with regards to the design. The sword itself was a standard-length katana, and the handle had black wrapping, so there wasn't much out of the ordinary there. It was the guard that was interesting; it was crimson, and carved into it were three tomoe surrounding the base of the blade.

"I wonder what the name of his Zanpakutō is," she said.

"So do I," Unohana replied as she healed Itachi's shoulder, "I imagine it will be quite some time before we find out, though."

That was certainly true; even gifted students typically took years after graduation just to awaken their Zanpakutō, let alone learn its name and unleash its Shikai. As vast as the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were, it was actually a relatively small portion of its members that had been able to achieve Shikai, and those capable of Bankai were even fewer in number. Still, Yoruichi found herself eager to learn the name of Itachi's sword, and given what she saw now she had a feeling that it wouldn't take him as long as most students to unlock his blade's Shikai.

 _That's going to be a very special day indeed_ , she thought with a smile, _I can't wait to see it!_

She turned back to Unohana. "I should get going. Take care of him, Unohana."

The Squad Four Captain smiled. "My patients are always in good hands, Yoruichi. You know that."

Yoruichi nodded. "Of course. I'll come by again soon."

She gave Itachi one last look, smiling as she did so. "Watch yourself, Itachi; don't let your Zanpakutō's spirit get the better of you. Kick its ass. I want to hear all about it when you wake up."

….

 **Several months later…**

"Again!" barked the woman clothed in black flames.

Itachi lunged forward, paying the cuts on his cheeks and arms no mind as he flung himself back into the dance of blades with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. The song of steel rang out as their swords clashed repeatedly, a lightning-fast rhythm the pace of which seemed to increase with each passing second. Steel met steel in a rapid exchange of strikes and parries as the combatants whirled like dervishes, their moves little more than blurs as their melody of violence continued.

He had come quite some ways since the early weeks of his time within his inner world. Whereas his foe would once give him breaks after her blade had drawn blood, now he gained only a second or two of respite at the most before their dance continued. The fights were lasting even longer now than before, and for all Itachi knew some of their matches could've gone on for days before his opponent had finally decided to grant him rest. His endurance, speed, precision, and efficiency with regards to Zanjutsu had improved immeasurably, but that was not the only area in which Itachi had sought to hone his skills. While his Zanpakutō had decided to train him exclusively in the art of swordsmanship, Itachi had eventually learned to take it upon himself to maintain his other skills, less all that he had learned from his Academy lessons before the soul fracture had occurred go to waste.

Parrying his foe's latest blow, Itachi dropped low to make a sweeping kick instead of countering with his blade. His opponent backflipped to avoid the attack, but it still gave Itachi a chance to take the offensive. Moving swiftly, he launched a fierce series of slashes and thrusts, pressing hard against his adversary.

When she inevitably moved to counter and retake the initiative, Itachi was ready. Switching to a one-handed grip, Itachi reached out with his free hand and pointed his index finger at his foe.

"Hadō 1: Shō!" he called.

Since it lacked an incantation and his Kidō studies had been in their early stages when the soul fracture had taken place, the energy behind this simple attack was weak. Nevertheless, the invisible pulse of kinetic power was enough to force his foe back just a step, and that was all Itachi needed to disrupt her counter. Itachi seized the opportunity and advanced, bringing his sword down in a hard overhand strike. His opponent was able to block the attack, but Itachi still saw an approving smile on her face.

"Not bad," she said as she held him at bay, "Not bad at all."

Itachi's only reply was to press his assault. He attacked hard and fast, raining down an unrelenting barrage on his opponent. His blows were swift, powerful, and relentless. As his foe fell back, Itachi was determined to do what he had been unable to accomplish since he had first arrived in his inner world; land a hit on her.

Unfortunately, that was far easier said than done. Even when put onto the defensive, the woman never showed a hint of fear. It had proven almost completely impossible to truly knock her off balance; his earlier Kidō attack was his most successful effort to date to do just that, and even then, it hadn't exactly done much. She was as implacable as she was skilled, and most of the time it felt like she knew what his moves would be before he even made them. It was an eerily familiar sensation.

 _No_ , Itachi firmly told himself as his eyes met hers, _the color might be the same, but that is_ not _the Sharingan that is looking at me._

It was most fortunate that was the case; she'd be all but unstoppable if she had _that_ kind of power at her disposal.

Their duel raged on, and Itachi knew that he was approaching the end of his rope. His endurance had improved immeasurably over the months of training, but he still could not fight forever. If he was to have even the smallest of chances to score something resembling a victory, he would have to make his move before fatigue began to make itself known in earnest.

He feinted low with a thrust at her knees, but as soon as she moved to parry he pulled his blade back. That was when he made his second thrust, this one going right for her neck. However, his foe did not try to block this time; instead, her blade too went for Itachi's neck, and the two combatants found themselves in a standoff, their swords at each other's throats.

The woman smiled again, and there was what looked like just a hint of pride in her expression. "A draw… impressive."

Itachi didn't dare remove his sword until he knew for sure that she wasn't going to pounce the second he let his guard done. "Is that all for now?"

She nodded before he saw her gaze turn skyward. "Yes… and not a moment too soon, it would seem."

Itachi looked up and saw that, for the first time since he'd arrived here, there were no longer flashes of crimson lightning. The clouds were still there, but they were no longer the dark and stormy ones that he had become accustomed to.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"The lightning from before was brought on from the turmoil caused by the soul fracture," said the woman, "It's finally subsided, which means one thing."

Itachi's eyes widened. "The resurrection jutsu is fading…"

As he spoke the light of the crimson moon behind the clouds began to intensify. The clouds parted a moment later, and Itachi and the woman were bathed in blood red light. At the same time Itachi could feel a rushing sensation, a surge of energy so strong that it felt like a heavy wave crashing into him. He dropped to one knee as he tried desperately to brace himself.

A gentle hand fell on his shoulder, and Itachi looked up to see the woman staring intently at him. "Don't fight it. Lie down."

Itachi did as she instructed, and she knelt beside him. "Your time in this world is coming to a close, but do not fear; now that you have opened the door to your inner realm, you will be able to return at will."

"How?" asked Itachi.

"You already covered the basics in class before you came here," the woman replied, "Recall your lessons and learn to apply them once you awaken, and you will find your way back here."

Itachi nodded, although the light from the crimson moon had become so bright now that it was difficult to keep his eyes open. "Very well, then."

Her smile was the last thing he saw before the red glare became so intense that he was forced to shield his eyes. "You've done well so far, Itachi… but you have a _long_ way to go yet. Once you've reconciled your memories and have resumed your classes, meditate upon your sword. There is still much that I have to teach you."

Itachi could not help but give a small smile. "I'm looking forward to your next lesson."

He heard her chuckle. "Oh, _really?_ You know how harsh a taskmaster I am; do not expect me to go easy on you just because of how well you've performed so far."

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Itachi.

There was a sound like an oncoming gust of wind. Louder and louder it grew, until Itachi felt as though he were at the heart of a great cyclone. Yet even over the roaring gale, Itachi could still dimly hear the parting words of the spirit of his Zanpakutō.

"Until we meet again, Itachi Uchiha."

And then the onrush of memories from the second half of his soul took his mind by storm.

….

His head hurt so badly that Itachi swore it was about to burst, but somehow, he still found the strength to open his eyes. He found himself lying in a bed near an open window. A light and cool breeze filtered in, and as he looked around, wincing against the splitting headache, he quickly found that he wasn't alone; none other than Unohana was standing by the bed.

She smiled when his gaze met hers. "I felt your spirit energy begin to strengthen, and I'm glad to see my hunch was correct; the soul fracture has healed. Welcome back, Itachi."

He gave her a nod as he tried to sit up in the bed. "Captain Unohana…"

She gently pushed him back down. "Best you lie still for the moment. Tell me, how do you feel?"

"Like someone lit a thousand fireworks inside my head," he groaned.

Unohana nodded. "I thought that might be the case. The memories from two halves of the same soul becoming one… I can only imagine how intense that might be."

"You could say that," quipped Itachi, still trying to make sense of it all.

She laid her hand on his forehead, and soon it was surrounded by sea-green energy. "Take deep and controlled breaths, Itachi. The pain should pass soon."

Itachi winced; the power that was flowing from her hands felt good, but it still seemed like someone was inside his skull with a hammer and a ton of nails. "I hope you're right…"

"Close your eyes," she instructed, "Don't try to make sense of everything that's come back to you just yet. Don't focus on anything at all. Just relax."

Itachi tried to follow her instructions, but it was definitely a case of easier said than done. There were so many events and faces flashing through his mind that trying to set them all aside or ignore them was all but impossible. Every instinct he had was telling him to grasp the flow and control it, to bring order to the chaos that his memories had become, and he had to fight it with every ounce of willpower that he could muster.

"Do not focus," said Unohana, as if she were reading his mind, "Do not do _anything_ , Itachi. Think of your memories as a river, one that you want to follow. Do not fight the flow, and do not try to control your pace; let it carry you all on its own."

He wasn't exactly sure how to do as she was telling him to, so he simply settled for keeping his eyes shut and acted like he was trying to fall asleep. Of course, sleep had ceased to come easy for him ever since he had massacred his clan. Still, the attempt seemed to unlock something, for he felt the pressure on his mind ease. Slowly but surely, the memories started to settle down, and he could gradually begin to make sense of it all. The pain in his head was receding as well, which he definitely took as a good sign.

As the flow of memories slowed, he began to recognize certain faces. Kabuto, Madara Uchiha, Pain…

Naruto…

 _Sasuke_ …

His eyes snapped open as every memory his resurrected half brought to him regarding his younger brother flashed before him. Their clash with Kabuto, the undoing of the resurrection jutsu…

…and his final conversation with his beloved sibling.

"Itachi?" said Unohana after a moment, her voice soft and concerned, "What is it? You're crying."

Itachi's eyes widened as he touched his cheek to find that she was right; a single tear had fallen. He then closed his eyes again to focus on that last moment, his final words to the brother that he had sacrificed _everything_ for.

 _"You don't ever have to forgive me… and whatever you do from here on out, know this…"_

 _"No matter what, I will love you always…"_

He smiled as he opened his eyes again, not even bothering to fight back the tears. Finally, after _so much time_ , he had been able to relay his true feelings to Sasuke. He had gone to his first death believing he would never have the chance to do so, but the resurrection had given him one final opportunity to say what he had long desired to.

His little brother finally knew the truth.

 _All_ of it.

And that was enough.

Not enough to bring true peace to Sasuke; the road ahead would remain difficult for his younger brother. Not enough to bring peace to Itachi, either; the nightmarish memory of what he had done to their family would be his darkest shadow for the rest of his afterlife, of that he had no doubt.

But it was enough to bring _closure_.

Closure to a blood feud that Itachi had never wanted.

Closure to the violent chasm that had been so cruelly carved between him and his dear little brother.

Closure between him and the member of his family that he had loved above all the others.

The pain in his head was gone now, and Itachi realized that Unohana had actually removed her hand a little while ago. She smiled down at him, and while it was impossible for her to know exactly what was going through his mind, he had a feeling that she could at least comprehend his joy and relief at what had transpired at the very end.

"You left without regrets," she said after a moment, "When your resurrection ended, I mean. May I infer at least that much from your smile and tears?"

Itachi shook his head. "Not quite. With all that had happened before, there will always be some regrets. There were far too many mistakes made along the way. However… I was able to right the _biggest_ of those mistakes. I was able to tell someone the truth that I should've told them so long ago… and that was all I wanted."

Unohana nodded. "I see. I'm glad to hear it."

"What will happen now?" he asked.

Unohana regarded him carefully. "With regards to how you reconcile your memories, that is for you and you alone. Your condition, on the other hand… well, I would like to keep you under observation for at least a week or two, but as of right now I'd say that you're through the worst of it. There will be some physiotherapy, but since I was able to use Kaidō to preserve the portion of your soul that remained here and maintain your health it shouldn't be too extensive. You have returned to us, Itachi, and for that I am most grateful."

"As am I," he replied.

She stood up and headed for the door. "I'll come back soon. I promised a few people that I would let them know when you regained consciousness. If you wish for a way to pass the time, I might suggest starting with the bedside table; you had quite a few well-wishers come by here while you were out of it."

As she left the room, Itachi turned and saw that she was right; there were quite a few get-well-soon messages left on the table. It was quite surprising; Itachi wasn't used to people actually _caring_ about him.

He idly flipped through them. Most were from fellow students, but he found a few outliers. He was a little taken aback to see that Captain Kirio Hikifune was one of his well-wishers, along with Lieutenants Lisa and Mashiro. There was also a card from Soi-Fon, another pleasant surprise to be sure.

And of course, there was one from Yoruichi. More than one, actually; Itachi found two messages from her as he went through the pile. He felt a warmness slowly grow in his chest as he read her well-wishes.

 _In all the time that I was alive, I never realized just how much small gestures like this could mean…_

Finally, at the very bottom of the pile, Itachi found something other than a card; a book.

A book with a familiar title, in fact.

 _Lovers' Strategies, Book One: Oasis of Desire._

 _You actually got it published, Jiraiya_ , he mused as he opened it, _I suppose congratulations are in order…_

And that was when he spotted the dedication on the first page.

 _'For an unexpected friend…_

 _…Itachi Uchiha.'_

Itachi chuckled. "An unexpected friend… yes, I suppose that's a good way to put it."

With that, he leaned back and started reading the first chapter.

….

"That was fast," said Unohana.

Yoruichi smiled. "I dropped everything as soon as I got the Hell Butterfly."

Next to her, Soi-Fon sighed. "That wasn't very prudent, Lady Yoruichi. There's still work to be done back at the Squad Two barracks."

Yoruichi shrugged. "It's just paperwork, Soi-Fon. It can wait."

 _Especially given how long_ I've _been waiting for this day_ , she silently added, _Itachi, it's about damn time you woke up!_

"So, how's he doing?" she asked.

"Physically, quite well," Unohana replied, "I'd still like to observe him for a little while just to be on the safe side, though."

Yoruichi nodded. "That sounds prudent. How about mentally? I mean, I can't imagine all those memories from the other half of his soul rushing back into him would be easy to handle."

Unohana shook her head. "No, it would not. That being said, I think he'll be all right. However… he may need a little time."

There was something in her voice that made Yoruichi nervous. "What's wrong?"

Unohana sighed, and Yoruichi was surprised to see a somber look in her eyes. "I cannot say for sure since Itachi has not seen fit to enlighten me, but… it seems like the portion of his soul that was revived went through a great deal. Actually, that may not be the whole picture; from what little I can tell, it would seem that Itachi had been through some very trying ordeals before his initial arrival in the Soul Society. Whatever happened after the soul fracture was tied to what transpired in his past life, and it impacted him profoundly. When he woke up and began to reconcile the memories… he _wept_ , Yoruichi."

Her eyes widened; she hadn't seen _that_ coming. "Are you serious? What the hell did he go through?"

"I don't know," the Squad Four Captain replied, "However, they were not tears of sorrow, of that I am certain. He told me that he was able to right a past wrong, to make what seems to be a confession of sorts, but he did not elaborate further. It must've been something monumentally important to him, though. I could sense a great air of relief about him, as if a truly heavy burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders."

Yoruichi nodded. "I see. Under those circumstances, would it be better if we came back another time?"

Unohana smiled. "I think he's well enough for a visitor or two today. Just be mindful of all that's transpired. It would be best not to speak of his memories unless he brings them up."

"Understood," said Yoruichi.

"What about… you know, our Fourteenth Seat?" said Soi-Fon, "Lady Yoruichi, shouldn't we tell Itachi about him? I mean, I told him before the exams that I'd explain after he graduated from the Academy, but with all of this…"

Unohana raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about. We won't do it tonight; I prefer your original idea of waiting for Itachi to graduate, Soi-Fon. There's no need to bring it up on the off-chance that it's tied to the memories he's trying to sort out. It could make things harder for him. Better to hold off and be safe for now."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi."

"If you're ready, please, follow me," said Unohana.

She led them down the hall, and it only took a few moments for them to arrive at Itachi's room. Unohana opened the door as quietly as she could and peeked in, and Yoruichi saw her smile a second later.

"Ah, glad to see you're looking well," she said, "Itachi, would you be up for a pair of guests? One of them in particular is quite keen on seeing you today."

"Sure," Yoruichi heard him reply, "Please, send them in."

Unohana nodded and fully opened the door, standing aside so Yoruichi and Soi-Fon could pass. "Please, try not to make too much noise. I don't have too many patients to look after right now, but there are still people who need rest around here."

Yoruichi nodded. "We'll keep things low-key. Thanks again, Unohana."

"Anytime," her fellow Captain replied, "I'll be in my office if you need anything."

Yoruichi and her bodyguard stepped inside. She smiled when she saw that Itachi was sitting upright in bed and looking little worse for the wear. A book was open in his lap, although he closed it when he saw Yoruichi and Soi-Fon enter the room.

"Hey, Itachi!" she said as she approached him, "How're you feeling?"

Itachi nodded. "Physically, pretty well. Mentally, I suppose you could say I'm still finding my feet."

"I bet," Yoruichi replied, "What you went through is pretty rare around here."

"So I've heard," he said, "It's good to see you again."

"Hello, Itachi," said Soi-Fon, giving him a polite nod, "It's been quite some time. Do you remember me?"

"Of course," he said, "It's nice to see you as well, Miss Soi-Fon."

Yoruichi leaned forward. "Hey… isn't that Jiraiya's book?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. Have you read it?"

Soi-Fon scowled. "Do you seriously think that Lady Yoruichi would read the garbage peddled by that oaf?"

Yoruichi laughed. "Soi-Fon, calm down! I actually have, and I think it's a fun read! You should try it some time, Soi-Fon."

Her bodyguard's face turned a deep shade of red, and her eyes widened as well. "Lady Yoruichi! You mean… you've read that… that…"

"It sounds like Jiraiya's reputation hasn't changed a bit," said Itachi with a small smirk, "It's nice to see that some things remain consistent no matter how much time passes."

Yoruichi nodded. "Yeah. So, what do you think? Do you like it so far?"

"Yes," Itachi replied, "which is rather surprising. I never considered this genre to be my thing, so to speak. Still, it's been… enjoyable, so far."

She saw Soi-Fon's eyes widen again when she saw the sword laying by Itachi's bed. "Hold on… is that…"

Yoruichi nodded and smiled, pleased that her bodyguard had caught on so quickly. "You got it; that's Itachi's awakened Zanpakutō!"

Soi-Fon looked back and forth between Itachi and the sword. "But… but he's still in the Academy… he's been _unconscious_ for months… how is it even _possible_ for him to have already awakened his Zanpakutō?"

"To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure about that myself," Itachi admitted, "It would seem that she awakened in response to my condition; I did nothing consciously to bring this about. Besides, she has _only_ awakened; I do not know her name."

Yoruichi smirked. "So it's a girl, eh? Nice! It's the same for me and Soi-Fon."

Soi-Fon blushed. "Lady Yoruichi… you shouldn't go around giving people information like that! It's… personal."

Yoruichi shrugged. "I don't think it's that big of a deal. Whether a Zanpakutō is male or female is trivial in the end. It's the nature of the Zanpakutō and its bond with its wielder that matters most."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi."

"So," said Yoruichi, "what's she like?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before answering. "Harsh, brutal, intelligent… and very powerful. I learned more about the ways of the sword from her than anything my Zanjutsu teacher had been able to instruct the class in before I passed out."

Yoruichi nodded. "I saw the wounds she left on you. You're lucky Unohana was able to take care of those."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly as he looked himself over. "Where…"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Don't bother; like I said, Unohana already took care of it."

"Any wounds that you suffer while in your inner world are reflected on your body in the real world," said Soi-Fon, "That's why it's important to be cautious whenever you interact with the spirit of your Zanpakutō."

Itachi nodded. "Duly noted."

"Now that you've managed to open your inner world, I recommend making time to visit once a day, even if it's just for a short while," said Yoruichi, "You've already learned about Jinzen, right?"

"Yes," said Itachi, "It was one of the first lessons in our Zanjutsu classes. Our instructor told us to practice it every day even though we had yet to awaken our individual Zanpakutō."

Soi-Fon nodded. "There was good reason for that. It's important for you to become accustomed to that form of meditation as quickly as possible. Jinzen will be the key to entering your inner world and communing with the spirit of your Zanpakutō."

Yoruichi smiled. "As your training progresses and your rapport with your Zanpakutō grows, she'll be able to grant you great power. However, bear in mind that this process is a two-way street. Do not simply try to draw power from your sword and leave it at that. We all have the ability to reverse the process and lend power to our Zanpakutō. It's this mutual growth that's the true key to a Soul Reaper's strength."

"I'll remember that," Itachi replied.

She saw him look out the window, his brow furrowed in thought. "Will I really be able to continue my studies after Unohana releases me? I may have learned a lot in the time I spent in my inner world, but I'm not a fool; I know that the courses at the Academy continued while I was out. The first semester must already be over by now. I'm pretty far behind."

"That's true," said Soi-Fon grimly, "Awakening your Zanpakutō so early is impressive, but there's far more to becoming a Soul Reaper than just that, which is what the Academy's meant to teach. You were in the advanced track, too, which means that you've got even more work to make up than the average student would under these circumstances."

Yoruichi nodded. "Normally, given the situation, the Academy would have you start over. You wouldn't have to retake the entrance exams, but with how much time has passed I know the head honchos would still have you go through the rest of the curriculum. That's a waste of time, though; I know you can catch up. You just need a little boost, and I think I've got a way to give that to you."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

"I'll get back to you on that," Yoruichi replied, "I need to run it by the Head Captain first; he has ultimate authority over the Academy, which means he can overrule the top faculty that would normally have you go all the way back to square one. Normally he's not the type to dish out favors like this, but with your skills I think I can talk him into making an exception. I'll just need a little help from Unohana."

"With all due respect, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon nervously, "are you sure about this? I mean… this _is_ the Head Captain you're talking about, after all. His views on rules and tradition are not quite as flexible as yours."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't worry about it, Soi-Fon. Just leave everything to me."

Her bodyguard bowed. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi. Forgive me for questioning you."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes and smirked. "Oh, relax. How many times to I have to tell you that it's okay to do that? I think you need to spend some time with Kisuke; he'll find a way to get you to loosen up!"

Soi-Fon's face paled. "No! I-I mean… I don't think that's necessary, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi chuckled. "I'll be the judge of that."

"What should I do?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Rest up and listen to Unohana. You'll need to be strong and sharp to pull this off. I'll come by again soon. Catch you later, Itachi!"

….

 **The next day…**

"Good to see you awake," said Jiraiya with a smile as he pulled up a chair next to Itachi's bed, "You had us all worried for a while there!"

Itachi nodded. "Thanks for coming by. How were you able to find your way to the Squad Four barracks? The Seireitei may not be as big as the Rukon District, but the layout's still quite the labyrinth for uninitiated like us."

"Unohana sent her Lieutenant to escort me," he replied, "He seems like an okay guy, although I would've preferred to be accompanied by the lovely Captain herself!"

Itachi shook his head in amusement. "Why am I not surprised?"

The afternoon sun shone through the open window, and there was a pleasantly cool breeze filtering in as well. He was still confined to bed rest per Unohana's orders, but under the circumstances Itachi didn't mind. He still had Jiraiya's book to read, after all, not to mention it gave him time to continue sorting through all the memories that had been jammed into his head since the soul fracture had been healed. His classmate visiting like this was a surprise, but definitely a welcome one.

Jiraiya nodded at Itachi's Zanpakutō. "So, what's that about? That's definitely different from the Asauchi they gave us when we all first started at the Academy."

"Apparently that's my awakened Zanpakutō," said Itachi, "The time I spent unconscious here wound up being surprisingly productive."

Jiraiya smirked. "I see. So, what was your inner world like?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before replying. "Alien, yet familiar… it's not an easy thing to put into words."

"I bet," said Jiraiya, "What about the spirit of your sword? Did you meet him?"

"I met _her_ , yes," Itachi corrected him, "She was… interesting."

Jiraiya grinned. "So it's a woman, eh? Is she a real babe? Come on, give me the details!"

Itachi shook his head. "That's none of your business. Besides, I have a feeling that if she caught you leering at her she'd burn you alive."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Oh, so she's a feisty one, huh? I could go for that!"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "What kind of woman _don't_ you go for?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "Hey, what can I say? There's enough of old Jiraiya here to share with all the ladies!"

"I'm sure they all appreciate that," Itachi quipped dryly, "Your _generosity_ is legendary."

"Not _just_ my generosity," said Jiraiya, nodding at the book on Itachi's bedside table, "It looks like even in the afterlife I've still got my writing talent. That thing's been quite the hit since it got published. What did you think of the final draft?"

"I'm still reading it," Itachi replied, "Still, I like what I see so far. I can certainly understand it being popular."

Jiraiya smiled. "Thanks. I've actually already started working on the next volume. It feels good to have a new series going again. It really makes it feel like all this is a fresh start. When you look at it that way, this afterlife really isn't so bad."

Itachi nodded. "Yes… I suppose you have a point there."

He looked at Jiraiya for a moment, and the memories that had come surging forward upon the mending of the soul fracture flew through his mind. He knew that the sage needed to know just what he had seen, but figuring out how to put it into words was easier said than done.

Jiraiya immediately caught that something was up; Itachi should've expected no less from a man as perceptive as him. "What's going on? Did something else happen while you were out?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment to give himself some room to gather his thoughts. "What did they tell you about my… condition?"

Jiraiya leaned forward. "Not much, to be honest. Unohana said something about a 'soul fracture', but she didn't exactly go into detail on it. What the hell happened to you, Itachi?"

"It would seem that our old world was not quite finished with me," said Itachi, "I was revived… by Kabuto Yakushi."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Kabuto? Wait a minute... was Orochimaru pulling his strings?"

Itachi shook his head. "From what I could tell, he seemed to be acting independently of him. The situation was… complicated."

He then went into detail regarding how he and other members of the Akatsuki had been revived to fight on behalf of Tobi, the man who Itachi had initially believed to be Madara Uchiha, in the Fourth Shinobi World War. He told the Legendary Sannin about how he had been paired up with Pain, who had in the past been none other than one of Jiraiya's old students, Nagato, and how they had wound up confronting both Naruto and Killer B, the man who was the vessel for the Eight-Tailed Beast. To say that Jiraiya was taken aback by all this would be a considerable understatement; the man's jaw had nearly hit the floor when Itachi had relayed it all to him. As Itachi continued his tale, however, he saw the shock in the veteran ninja's eyes be replaced with something else when it came to the actions of his last student; pride.

When it was finally over there was a long moment of silence. Jiraiya closed his eyes, and to Itachi it appeared that the man was meditating over everything that Itachi had told him. Itachi couldn't blame him; he'd already had to deal with his reunited memories for a full day, and he was still having trouble processing it all.

After a while, Jiraiya opened his eyes again, and there was a smile on his face. "Well, now… it sounds like Naruto's really grown."

Itachi nodded and allowed himself a small smile in return. "Your last student is really something else. This Fourth Shinobi World War… I have no doubt that how it all ends will ultimately come down to Naruto. Him and Sasuke both still have a hard road ahead, but I believe they'll make it through. The future is in their hands, now. We played our parts and left the stage; it's up to them to carry things forward from here."

"Yeah," said Jiraiya, "It's time to let the next generation pick up the torch. From what you've told me, I think they'll do just fine."

There was a contented silence as the two men took a moment to reflect on the sense of relief they both felt. They had both done all they could to prepare the way for those who had come after them, each in their own fashion. It was now up to their successors to finish what they had started and usher the ninja world through the night and into a new dawn.

"I wouldn't mind going back sometime," said Itachi after a moment, "As a Soul Reaper, I mean. It would be nice to see what sort of new world they build out of what we left behind."

Jiraiya nodded. "It would. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see if either of us get assigned to head out that way. You never know where the future will take you, after all."

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle. "Those might be the wisest words I've ever heard you say."

Jiraiya gave a hearty laugh. "You might be right about that!"

How strange it was for him to share a laugh with the sage that had once considered him an enemy… and yet, it also felt perfectly natural. When he was alive, he would never have imagined that the future would take the strange twists and turns that his afterlife had, but here he was. He still could not comprehend why he had been taken to the Soul Society rather than Hell when he had died, but he was most thankful that he had gotten the chance to be reborn into such a unique and wondrous place.

And his afterlife was still quite young.

"So," said Jiraiya after a moment, "what's next for you? I know you're gonna want to hit the ground running, and I bet you could catch up given the chance, but the teachers… well, with the way I've heard them talking over the past few months, it sounds like they don't share my confidence. From what they've been mumbling, it sounds like the best-case scenario in their eyes is you starting pretty much from scratch."

"Don't be so sure," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "I've got two backers that might just be able to help me turn the tables on our instructors."

Jiraiya smiled. "You mean Unohana and Yoruichi? What are you planning on talking them into?"

"That's the thing," Itachi replied, "I haven't talked them into anything; they're acting all on their own. In fact, if I'm right, they should be making a case for me as we speak."

….

Even with all the meetings she had attended with him, Yoruichi still found it difficult to get a good read on Head Captain Yamamoto. His scarred and wrinkled face could be utterly inscrutable, and he rarely betrayed so much as a hint of what was really going through his mind.

"So that is your request, Captain Shihōin?" he asked, "You wish to have this Itachi Uchiha mentored by one of your clan's private tutors until he is caught up with his fellow Academy students? This is a most unorthodox proposal."

Yoruichi nodded. "I understand that, Head Captain. However, I believe that an exceptional student like Itachi deserves such consideration. To have him start over from the beginning would be a profound waste of both time and talent. We need him to get back on track so we can get him into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as quickly as possible."

The Head Captain shifted his gaze. "Do you concur with her, Captain Unohana?"

The leader of Squad Four nodded. "Yes. While I do realize that this is a breach of protocol, I believe the current situation warrants it. You have seen the marks he received before the soul fracture occurred, yes?"

"Indeed," said Yamamoto, "and I shall be the first to admit that they quite impressive, all the more so for a newly arrived soul. However, good grades alone are not enough to warrant such special treatment."

"Then consider this, Head Captain," Yoruichi countered, "Itachi's shown a knack for combat that goes far beyond what we typically see in students. He and Jiraiya were able to take on a Hollow unarmed and with no knowledge of the Soul Reaper fighting arts. That alone should speak volumes of the potential that he holds. Those fighting abilities are deeply ingrained in him, and I'm positive that they're skills he held when he was alive. He's a natural, and we'd be fools to set him back just because of a medical incident that was completely beyond his control."

Unohana nodded. "Captain Shihōin raises a very valid point, Head Captain. After all, consider Captain Ukitake; his medical problems are well known, and yet that does not change the fact that he is an invaluable member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"There's also the fact that his innate abilities as a fighter have already grown exponentially in the limited time that he's been at the Academy so far," Yoruichi added, determined to press her point home hard, "When I sparred with him in his Hakuda class, I could already tell that his skills had evolved tremendously, and that's a growth that would only be set back if we had him start over. He's also already accessed his inner world and awoken his Zanpakutō, and while that may have been prematurely triggered due to the soul fracture, that doesn't change the fact that he spent time training with the spirit of his sword while his body was in the care of Captain Unohana. Itachi's already well down the path towards unlocking his true powers as a Soul Reaper, and I believe that we should be doing everything possible to make sure that he continues down that road. I'm confident that by the time he graduates, his abilities will have grown to the point that he could be granted an officer's position right out of the gate. He's a rare find, Head Captain; we can't let this opportunity go to waste."

There was a long pause, and Yoruichi could sense that this was the moment of truth. The Head Captain's brow furrowed in thought, and Yoruichi could only hope that the old man made the right decision.

After a moment, he turned to the leader of Squad Four. "Captain Unohana, how long would you say that Itachi requires observation now that the soul fracture appears to have been mended?"

Unohana took a few seconds to consider before replying. "Normally, I would like to keep him under my care for at least two weeks. However, given how far behind he has already fallen when compared to his classmates, I am willing to reduce it to one."

The Head Captain nodded. "Very well. In that case, here is my decision. Captain Shihōin, how soon can you make contact with a suitable tutor from your clan for Itachi?"

Yoruichi smiled. "I'll have the Hell Butterfly out within the hour. I know just the instructor for the job."

"Good," said Yamamoto, "You will have your tutor come to the Squad Four barracks in two days' time. While Itachi continues recuperation, he will begin to catch up on his academic instruction. Once Captain Unohana deems him fit, he can recommence his physical training in the Squad Four practice yard. From that point forward, I want him to undergo an accelerated curriculum, and I shall personally evaluate him one month after his period of observation under Captain Unohana comes to an end. Should he pass, I will allow him to rejoin his classmates in the advanced track. If he fails, he will have to wait until the next school year comes around and start from the beginning."

 _One month_ , thought Yoruichi, _that's going to be tight. Still, if anyone can help him cram all the knowledge and skill Itachi will require to pass the Head Captain's evaluation into him during that time period, it should be the tutor I've got in mind…_

"Do you find this to be an acceptable arrangement, Captain Shihōin?" asked Yamamoto.

Yoruichi nodded. "I do, Head Captain."

"As do I," said Unohana with a smile, "I believe Itachi will be more than up to the challenge."

Yoruichi was surprised to actually see the Head Captain chuckle at that. "Such confidence, I see. I have not seen you praise a student like this in quite some time, Captain Unohana."

Unohana nodded. "Well, students as gifted as Itachi are rather rare. I'm quite optimistic regarding his chances of passing this accelerated curriculum."

Yamamoto then turned to Yoruichi. "As for you, Captain Shihōin… it is rather unlike you to take such a personal interest in a student. If his talents are great enough to warrant the advocacy you've given him, then I look forward to presiding over his evaluation."

Yoruichi grinned. "Trust me, Head Captain; you won't be disappointed."

….

 **Two days later…**

"How are you feeling, Itachi?" asked Unohana as she walked in.

Itachi nodded. "Very well. I just finished Jiraiya's book, actually. I must say, I'm rather surprised; since I helped with the editing, I didn't think I would enjoy the final product as much as I have because I knew how the story went. Despite my foreknowledge, it's been a pleasurable read."

Unohana smiled. "Is that so? Well, I'm glad to hear it. I do hope that you've been resting like I told you to, because starting today I'm afraid you're going to have much less free time."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Instead of answering his question directly, the Squad Four Captain looked over her shoulder and called out into the hallway. "Feel free to come in now!"

Two women stepped into the room. The first was Yoruichi, who gave Itachi a friendly nod and smile as she approached. The woman next to her, however, was one that Itachi had not met before. She was a tall and well-built woman, with a mature, athletic figure and ample curves that were visible even through her black and white shihakushō. Her dark blue hair was tied up in a bun, and her cerulean eyes had a certain stern look to them, but at the same time there was also a hint of almost motherly warmness visible as well. A set of thin-framed glasses gave her a scholarly air, and that was further emphasized by the books she was carrying. At the same time, though, a standard-length Zanpakutō with a triangular guard and dark green hilt was more than enough to tell Itachi that this woman wasn't all books and learning, and the confidence in her stance suggested that if push came to shove she'd be more than competent with her blade.

"How's it going, Itachi?" asked Yoruichi.

"Quite well, thanks," he asked before turning to the mystery woman, "Forgive me, but I don't believe we've met before, miss…"

She gave him a nod. "I am Minerva Rawlins, former Lieutenant of Squad Two and now retainer to the Shihōin Clan. I serve as both a family guard and also as a private tutor in the Soul Reaper arts. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Itachi Uchiha. Lady Yoruichi speaks very highly of you."

Itachi's eyes widened. "Former Lieutenant? But I thought…"

"That Soul Reapers don't retire?" Minerva finished for him with a smile, "Technically, that's true. My status is more along the lines of 'extended leave' than anything else. Theoretically, I can be recalled to active duty at any time. In practice, my good standing with the Shihōin Clan gives me greater protection than most. For former high-ranking officers like myself, forging connections with a powerful noble family is the best way to ensure a comfortable post-active duty lifestyle."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

"It's actually pretty common practice for families like mine to take in Soul Reapers who have grown weary of active service, provided they can still aid us in some way," said Yoruichi, "Minerva was my personal tutor when I was young, and she helped prepare me for the Shin'ō Academy entrance exams. It's considered embarrassing for a noble family to send a son or daughter to the Academy only for them to fail the exams, so private tutors are a way for them to determine ahead of time if their children have the aptitude for it and save themselves a potential loss of face."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "That makes sense, but it's hardly fair to students who come into the Academy through the Rukon District and lack such an advantage."

"A point that both of us will readily concede," said Minerva, "Unfortunately, that's hardly the only unfair aspect regarding the Soul Society's structure and class divisions. If you're as sharp as Lady Yoruichi has told me, then I'm sure you've noticed plenty examples of inequality already."

"You could say that," Itachi replied.

"You'll learn a good deal more about them by the time Minerva's through with you," said Yoruichi, "She doesn't hold back, which is one of the reasons why my family took her on as a retainer."

Minerva nodded. "I reviewed the courses that you were taking part in once Lady Yoruichi sent me her request. I must say, I was rather surprised; most students in the advanced track don't choose a class in politics as an elective in their first semester. That requires taking a very close look at how the Soul Society is structured… and despite how they may frame the course, a gifted student can readily see through the sugar-coating the instructors lay on and examine this realm's _many_ faults and inadequacies."

"It wasn't hard to find a few of them," Itachi quipped, "and that's putting it mildly."

Minerva smiled. "A sharp wit _and_ tongue, I see… I _like_ this one, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi grinned. "I figured you would."

"So, why are you here?" asked Itachi, "I have a hard time believing that Captain Yoruichi brought someone like you along just for a friendly visit."

Yoruichi nodded. "Nice to see your mind's still ticking on all gears, because you're gonna need it in top shape to get through this. Normally, when a student misses as much class as you have due to a medical emergency, the higher ups at the Academy have them start the semester over. That's fair enough for most students; it's better than kicking them out of the Academy altogether, and it still gives them a solid chance to make it through their coursework and successfully graduate. However, I'm of the opinion that the normal approach would be a waste of time with regards to you… and thanks to a little help from Unohana, I was able to talk the biggest authority in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads into seeing things my way."

"The Head Captain…" said Itachi softly.

"Yup," Yoruichi replied, "The Academy falls under his jurisdiction, which means ultimately the final decision on matters such as this lies with him. It took some work, but Unohana and I were able to convince him to give you a shot at catching up that doesn't involve you starting over from square one. However, you're gonna have to work for it, and there's a serious time crunch involved."

Itachi nodded. "I'm listening."

"For the next five days," said Minerva, "you will continue your recuperation and physical therapy under Captain Unohana's guidance. During that time period, we shall begin cram study sessions to get you back on track as far as your academic studies are concerned. Once the observation and convalescence period ends, you will then be undergoing an accelerated curriculum over the course of a month. Academic studies, Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Kidō, and Hohō; you'll be working on all that and more. Unlike the Academy, there will be no days off; we don't have the luxury of them given our time constraints. I'll be running you hard, so you'd best steel yourself now."

"Understood," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "What happens once that one-month time period is complete? Am I to take my place amongst my classmates right away, or will there be some sort of final test first?"

Minerva smiled. "The latter. A comprehensive evaluation will be administered, and your examiner will be none other than the Head Captain himself."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," Yoruichi answered, "Minerva and I will be observing you as well during your test, but the final decision on whether or not you pass lies with the Head Captain alone. Pass, and you'll be readmitted into the Academy and be allowed to resume your studies. Fail, and you'll have to start over next school year, minus the entrance exams. The Head Captain can be a strict judge, and he'll have high standards for you to clear given the exception he's making here, but he's not unreasonable. If you put everything you have into your training and the final exam, I'm confident that you'll succeed."

Itachi nodded. "I appreciate that. I'll do my best."

Yoruichi smiled. "Glad to hear it. Well, I've gotta get back to the Squad Two barracks. Minerva, he's all yours. I'll check in from time to time to see how things are going. Good luck, Itachi!"

"Thanks," he said before she left the room.

Minerva then stepped forward, setting her stack of books at the foot of his bed before passing one to Itachi. "No time like the present, I always say. Let's get started. You've got a _lot_ of catching up to do."

 **Author's Notes:** So, regarding the amount of time between when Itachi lost consciousness in the previous chapter and when he woke up in this one: _Naruto_ tends to be a bit hazy on some of the details regarding the run-up to the Fourth Shinobi World War. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't narrow down an exact date for when Itachi was revived via Edo Tensei. So I had to take a guess on the time period that his resurrection lasted for. Whether I was close to the mark or off is pretty much just splitting hairs at this point as far as this story is concerned; he's completely back in the Soul Society now, which means it's time for him to make up for lost time and kick his training into overdrive.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes:** All right, I suppose it's time to get the next one out there. Regarding some of the Kidō spells that appear in this chapter, since we never get a comprehensive list of every single spell available to Soul Reapers I decided to take a few liberties and create some new ones to start filling in the gaps.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Seven: Training and Evaluation**

 **One week and five days later…**

"Next target and next spell!" Minerva barked, "Go!"

Itachi nodded before reciting the incantation. "Strike, lord of tempest and thunder! Make your fury known to men and beast alike, less they forget the higher order of the world! Hadō 4: Byakurai!"

Pointing at the target downrange with his right index finger, he let fly with a concentrated bolt of light-blue spirit energy. The precise shot nailed the target right in the middle, leaving a clean and smoking hole in it.

Minerva nodded and smiled. "Very nice. Most students have trouble with the more accurate version of Byakurai; they prefer discharging it from both hands. Your performance with both versions has been exemplary."

"Thank you," Itachi replied.

"Let's not rest on our laurels quite yet," said Minerva, "We still have the rest of the afternoon ahead of us, after all. Next target, and next spell up in the ranks. Hit it with your best shot."

Itachi took a deep breath to center himself before beginning the incantation. "Master of the spring winds, I summon you! Bring forth your creatures great and small, and let them overwhelm the enemies of creation! Hadō 5: Hotaru Bāsuto!"

He held out the palm of his right hand, and from it flew a burst of tiny green spheres made of spirit energy. The rapid-fire burst of emerald projectiles perforated the target next to the one he'd hit earlier with Byakurai.

Minerva clapped as Itachi caught his breath. "Excellent! That's a much more precise burst than I was expecting. First-year students usually send the projectiles flying all over the place."

"I can see why," Itachi replied, "All those spirit projectiles coming forth so quickly can be difficult to properly harness."

"Indeed," said his teacher, "Still, you did quite well. Keep it up and eventually you'll be able to increase the duration of the bursts, as well as your ability to direct the projectiles. With enough practice, a Soul Reaper using Hadō 5 can lay down a barrage capable of pinning a swarm of lesser Hollows. It's a good opening move when you're facing off against a large number of weaker enemies, and it's also useful for covering a retreat when the ranks of the enemy prove to be overwhelming."

Itachi nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," Minerva replied before nodding down range, "Now, let's keep at it. Next spell up in the ranks. By the time I'm done with you, not only will you pass the Head Captain's exam with flying colors, but when you rejoin the Academy you'll be the best damn spellcaster in your class!"

….

 **One week later…**

"Ah," sighed Yoruichi with a smile as she leaned back behind her desk, "Finally done with the post-action reports! I swear, sometimes those take longer than the fights themselves!"

She had returned a while ago from a mission to the very edge of the Rukon District. Along with Soi-Fon, Kisuke, and a handful of other officers and foot-soldiers, she had overseen the purging of a Hollow nest that had somehow taken root in the darkest corner of South Rukon 79. The Hollows themselves had proven to be on the weaker end of the spectrum, but the fact that so many of them had been able to establish a foothold in the Soul Society and maintain it for as long as they had was concerning.

 _We really need to boost our numbers and get more patrols out there_ , she thought, _We're just stretched too damn thin…_

The door to her office slipped open, and Soi-Fon stepped in with a tray bearing a small pot and some cups. "Care for some tea, Lady Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Sure thing. Thanks, Soi-Fon!"

The head of her personal guard smiled. "You're welcome, Lady Yoruichi."

After it was poured she took a sip. "Did you make this yourself? You're really getting good at this!"

Soi-Fon bowed, and Yoruichi could've sworn she caught her bodyguard blushing. "Oh, it was nothing, Lady Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi leaned forward. "Come on, Soi-Fon, there's nothing wrong with showing a little pride in your abilities. Take earlier, for instance; you did very well in the fighting over in South 79. Your bond with your Zanpakutō is really coming along nicely!"

"You're too kind, Lady Yoruichi," Soi-Fon replied, "Still… I'm nowhere near as strong as you are."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Don't sell yourself short. Give it time. You're young, and I know how hard you've been training. You've already unlocked your Shikai, and I can tell that you're getting better at using it. I can't wait to see what your Bankai looks like once you finally achieve it!"

Soi-Fon gulped. "Bankai? I'm a long way from that, Lady Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi smiled. "Hey, I used to think that about myself, but look at me now! Trust me, if you keep up the hard work, that day will come before you know it."

Soi-Fon returned her smile. "I'll do that. Thank you, Lady Yoruichi."

As much as Yoruichi liked to tease her bodyguard, she was being completely serious with her today. Soi-Fon could sometimes be a little too high-strung and strict for her own good, but she was a decent woman at heart and a very competent subordinate. While Yoruichi didn't really think that she needed a bodyguard, she was glad that Soi-Fon was the one assigned to fill that role. It felt like having both a younger sister and a pupil, and Yoruichi was proud of how far Soi-Fon had come in the time that she'd served under her. In a way, she supposed that Soi-Fon was the Lieutenant that she really wanted; Marenoshin Ōmaeda was just a placeholder, a sop to a noble family and the petty politics of the Soul Society's aristocracy.

 _Her and Kisuke_ , she mused, _I'd be much happier with either of them in the Lieutenant's slot, really. I wonder if I could make them both Co-Lieutenants someday. It'd be an unorthodox move, but it's not entirely unheard of. Ōmaeda won't be around forever, after all; a guy like him will either get himself killed through arrogance or will go on extended leave to take over his household once his parents decide to hand it over to him. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how things play out._

After she finished her tea she stood up and smiled at her subordinate. "That hit the spot. How about you and I take a little stroll over to the Squad Four barracks?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi."

It was only mid-afternoon, and a very pleasant one at that as Yoruichi and her bodyguard left the Squad Two barracks and made their way through the Seireitei. The sun was high in the sky, a pleasantly cool breeze wafted through the air, and there was always the occasional Soul Reaper that bowed in greeting as the Captain and her subordinate passed.

"There are only two weeks left until the evaluation, right?" asked Soi-Fon, "Do you think Itachi will be ready?"

Yoruichi nodded and grinned. "Oh, yes! From what Minerva's last Hell Butterfly told me, it sounds like Itachi's really coming along well. I think the Head Captain will have a hard time saying no once the evaluation's over."

"When he graduates, will he really join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads?" Soi-Fon asked, "His talents in Hakuda and Hohō would make him a prime candidate for recruitment by the Stealth Force, and there's always the chance that the Kidō Corps could take an interest in him as well."

"True," said Yoruichi, "but with the way his skills have been developing, I think it'd be a waste to put him anywhere other than one of the thirteen divisions. The Stealth Force would be the second-best option for him, and since they're still under my authority I suppose I wouldn't object if it came down to that but given that he's already awakened his Zanpakutō that alone makes him a natural candidate for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. We need someone with his abilities and potential operating on the frontlines, especially given how strained we are for manpower there as it is."

Soi-Fon nodded. "You're right. Actually, the Soul Society as a whole could use a boost in fighting strength. I know all of the divisions are fully staffed, but still… it feels like that's just not enough."

"So, you've caught on to that too, eh?" said Yoruichi with a smile, "Keep those powers of observation sharp, Soi-Fon; you'll go far with them, count on that."

The two of them made it to the Squad Four barracks a little while later. Stopping briefly by Unohana's office to say hello, they then went out to the training yard. When they got there, Yoruichi saw Itachi sitting in the middle of the yard, his Zanpakutō laying across his lap. Minerva was standing over him, and she nodded as Yoruichi and Soi-Fon approached.

"Jinzen…" said Soi-Fon softly as she studied Itachi.

"How's he doing?" asked Yoruichi.

Minerva gave her a confident smile. "He's a natural. It's all coming along better than I could ever have hoped for. You really found something special with him, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi was about to reply when she saw a small cut appear on Itachi's left cheek. Minerva then leaned down and put her hand over the wound, and the familiar blue-green energy of Kaidō enveloped her hand.

 _That's right_ , thought Yoruichi, _Minerva spent some time as part of Squad Four back in her active duty days before transferring to Squad Two. I'm glad she's kept her healing skills sharp._

"Not a deep one," her former teacher said after a moment, "Most of the wounds he gets in this state tend to be pretty shallow. If nothing else, the spirit of his Zanpakutō seems to be capable of some very precise swordplay."

"How long does he usually spend doing this?" asked Soi-Fon.

"Right now, I have him at half an hour each day," said Minerva, "He's been making the most of it; every time he comes back I spar with him, and his skills get just a little bit sharper each time. If Squad Eleven weren't so disdainful of Kidō I think they'd be chomping at the bit to recruit him; his swordsmanship is incredible considering he's still just a student."

Yoruichi shook her head. "I don't think Squad Eleven would be a good fit for him. They're way too rowdy, and they're not exactly a subtle bunch when it comes to combat. Besides, I can't see Itachi forgoing Kidō altogether just to get into a unit; the ability to cast spells is incredibly handy, especially given the wide variety that are available. He doesn't strike me as the type to set aside such a useful weapon for the trivial reasons that Squad Eleven does."

"Speaking of Kidō," said Soi-Fon, "how is he doing with that?"

"Exceptionally well," Minerva replied with a smile, "He's got his incantations down perfectly, and his energy control is far more advanced than anything I've ever seen in a student at this point in their education. His aim's excellent; incredibly precise, even with spells that aren't exactly known for their finesse. With the right spells and a good firing position, he could provide great cover during a battle, especially once he begins learning the more advanced and powerful techniques. He's got a good sense of spatial awareness, too, which is another vital trait for Kidō users."

"How about Hakuda and Hohō?" asked Yoruichi.

Now Minerva was all but beaming with pride. "The only other student I've had that's taken to either of them so intuitively is you, Lady Yoruichi. His technique in Hakuda is brilliant; I can definitely see how he'd dominate his class. Honestly, I don't think any of the Academy instructors could add substantially to his knowledge in that regard. You said he was a relatively recent arrival to the Soul Society, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yes."

"If that's the case, then I'm certain he was already well-versed in hand-to-hand combat when he was alive," said Minerva, "His reflexes are uncanny, he knows _exactly_ what moves to go with depending on the situation, and his footwork is perfect. As for Hohō, that's coming along wonderfully. He's improving both the distance and precision of his Flash Steps, and he's getting better at working them into our sparring matches. The technique still requires considerable focus from him, but I'm confident that eventually it'll come as naturally to him as breathing."

Yoruichi smiled. "Hot damn! I _do_ know how to pick 'em, don't I?"

Minerva nodded. "Indeed."

"How much longer will he be meditating like this?" asked Soi-Fon.

"He's about halfway into his session right now," said Minerva, "Are you two planning on sticking around? I think you'd enjoy witnessing our sparring match once he's finished, Lady Yoruichi."

"I'm sure I would," she replied, "but I'm afraid we can't stick around that long. There are still some things that I need to take care of today. I was really just coming by to say hi and check up on his progress."

"I'll give Itachi your regards," said Minerva, "If you come by a little earlier or later next time, you should be able to catch him outside of Jinzen."

Yoruichi smiled. "I'll try to remember that. Keep up the good work, Minerva. I can't wait to see what he's capable of once all this is done!"

….

 **One week later…**

The cry of steel meeting steel rang out repeatedly as Itachi and Minerva clashed. Their Zanpakutō came together in a rapid-fire series of blows, a deadly display of precision, speed and power unlike any that could be found in the training halls of Shin'ō Academy. Student and teacher went back and forth, swapping between offense and defense at the drop of a hat, neither betraying a hint of weariness despite the fact that this latest match had gone on for at least a half-hour.

Itachi had initially been surprised when, after the first week of the accelerated Zanjutsu curriculum, Minerva had declared that they would no longer be training with wooden practice swords; they would be using only the real thing from that point onward. It had struck him as incredibly reckless, even taking into account the fact that they were in the heart of Squad Four and thus had ready access to the best healers the Soul Society had to offer. However, it hadn't taken Itachi long to recognize the wisdom in such a move; Minerva's swordsmanship was highly sophisticated, and the time he'd spent training with the spirit of his Zanpakutō had given him greater confidence in his abilities. Both fighters were capable of engaging in serious practice fights with real weapons and had the skills required to avoid serious injuries.

She may no longer have been on the active duty roster, but the former Lieutenant was no slouch when it came to Zanjutsu. There was a cold grace to her fighting style, a fluid efficiency that offered a tight defense and a punishing offense. She wasn't a power fighter; she was all about finesse and misdirection.

She would often feint high or low before going at her true target, or go into what felt like a random burst of strikes but were actually a carefully crafted sequence of attacks designed to confuse his defenses and create an opening. She varied the speed and power of her blows, keeping Itachi guessing as to how hard and how swiftly she would hit. She would often allow herself to appear off balance, sometimes with only a single foot touching the ground, but in fact she was in perfect control over her body and could pivot and pirouette with the ease and elegance of a dancer. Zanjutsu was not simply a means for combat with her; it was a veritable art form.

 _To think that she only rose as high in the ranks as Lieutenant before stepping down_ , he mused while fending off her attacks, _I can only imagine what the Captains are capable of…_

He'd caught glimpses, of course; his mind often flashed back to that fateful first encounter, where Yoruichi and Unohana had made short work of the Hollows with their blades. But it was only that; a glimpse at what was undoubtedly a vast pool of talent in the art of the sword. It made him all the more determined to complete his training and not only reclaim his rightful place in the Academy, but to graduate and earn a position within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

More precisely, Squad Two.

The more he learned about the inner workings of the Soul Society and its military, the more he became convinced that Squad Two was the perfect fit for him. With its blend of stealth and combat missions, it was practically begging for a former Shinobi like himself to join up. Although he had lost his ninjutsu and genjutsu abilities upon his death, he still retained the covert operations skills and the combat expertise that were absolutely crucial in such a role. While the Stealth Force struck Itachi as similar to the Anbu Black Ops organization that he had once been a part of, they were still considered a separate organization from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads even though they operated under the command of the Squad Two Captain, and thus he actually didn't think that they would be as good of a fit for him given the way his skills were developing. Since Squad Two as a whole could fight openly and in the shadows Itachi believed that that was the better option for him.

The fact that Yoruichi was the head of both Squad Two and the Stealth Forces was a considerable factor for Itachi as well. She had the capacity to serve both overtly and covertly, and Itachi wanted the same thing. It wasn't just because she'd saved his life, although he'd be lying if he said that wasn't an influence. It was because she had invested time and effort into helping him when she really didn't have to, and if her accepting his challenge in the Hakuda class before he had suffered the soul fracture was any indication, she had clearly taken a liking to him. Itachi found it hard not to return the sentiment.

She was swift and powerful, with combat abilities that rivaled or exceeded those of the strongest Shinobi Itachi had ever encountered. She was intelligent and insightful, and her wits had already been used a few times to Itachi's benefit. While she might have a teasing and playful nature, he could tell that she was a good woman who genuinely cared about the people around her and wanted to do her part to help others.

There was also no denying that she was incredibly beautiful.

Unfortunately, the thought of the lovely Captain was enough to distract Itachi for just a fraction of a second, and that was all Minerva needed. Her Zanpakutō slipped through a small gap he'd left in his defenses, and it gave him a scratch on his left arm.

His teacher smiled as she pulled back her blade. "Not bad, but your attention wavered just a bit at the end there. Something on your mind?"

"Nothing important," Itachi replied, perhaps a bit too curtly for his own good.

The knowing look in Minerva's eyes was enough to tell him that she didn't buy it, but she didn't press the issue. "I see. Good thing this was just a training match, then. Hold out your arm."

He sheathed his sword and did so. After Minerva had put her own weapon away she reached out and laid her right hand over his wound. The familiar blue-green energies of Kaidō enveloped both her hand and the cut, and Itachi could feel the soothing healing power flow into him.

"You truly are a gifted swordsman," she said, "I've never seen a student handle a blade as intuitively as you do. I know your Zanjutsu courses at the Academy always emphasize treating your Zanpakutō as an extension of yourself, but you take to it far quicker than most pupils that I've seen."

"I suppose it helps that I have more than one teacher when it comes to the art of the sword," said Itachi.

Minerva nodded. "True, and from the wounds I've seen you take it would seem that the spirit of your Zanpakutō is a much tougher taskmaster than I am. Once you graduate from the Academy, you should consider taking part in the Blade Dancer Festival. I think you'd do quite well there."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Blade Dancer Festival?"

"It's an annual event that celebrates the art of Zanjutsu," Minerva explained, "The Blade Dancer Festival takes place on the night of the first summer full moon. Soul Reapers from every division take part in a series of sparring matches with their Zanpakutō. The participants are usually matched according to rank and proven ability, and all are forbidden to utilize Shikai, Bankai, Hakuda, Hohō or Kidō. The matches go until one fighter is able to either disarm his opponent, force them to yield, or land a Mark of Contact. A Mark of Contact is a very shallow and superficial cut, much like the one I just gave you."

"It sounds dangerous, even with the rules you just laid out," said Itachi.

Minerva shook her head. "It's highly supervised, and all the participants are fully trained Soul Reapers. Squad Four always has a strong presence there as well in order to attend to any wounds that may be incurred. Also, while any Soul Reaper is invited to participate, the Blade Dancer Festival is typically seen as an occasion for the more finessed Zanjutsu practitioners to showcase their skills. Sometimes you get fighters that put more emphasis on raw power than technique, but they typically don't do very well. The subsequent loss of face usually discourages them from openly fighting in the following year's matches."

"Did you participate back when you were on active duty?" he asked.

Minerva smiled as she finished healing his arm. "Every year. I still head down to watch, although my current status means I'm forbidden to fight since traditionally only active duty Soul Reapers can take part. To tell you the truth, I actually miss being able to partake directly. It's not just an occasion to test your skills, after all. They call it the Blade Dancer Festival for a reason; the duels that take place there can be more beautiful than the steps and twirls of a traditional ball. Some Soul Reapers even treat it as a form of courtship."

Itachi was a little taken aback at that. "Courtship? In a festival devoted to sword fighting?"

Minerva chuckled. "Don't knock it until you've tried it, Itachi. When the right set of partners face off under the full moon… well, let's just say that sparks fly from more than just their blades."

For a brief moment, an image of him and Yoruichi clashing in such a dance of swords flashed through his mind. Itachi was confused; where were thoughts like this coming from?

"You said that the duelists are typically matched by rank and ability, right?" he asked, "Can participants seek out their own partners?"

Minerva smiled. "Yes, as long as it can be reasonably assumed that the initiator is not just trying to score a cheap win over someone he or she knows that they can beat. Why? Got someone in mind you'd like to dance with once you're eligible, Itachi?"

"I was just curious," he replied, all too aware of a slight rush of heat coming to his face.

Minerva gave him a knowing smirk. "Sure, you were. All right, then; let's get back to it. Sword up, and keep your mind on the fight this time!"

Itachi nodded as he brought his Zanpakutō into a guard position. A moment later Minerva lunged forward, and a new dance of blades was on.

….

 **Three days later…**

With both hands held out before him, Itachi began the incantation. "Oh Lord of Summer, leave all in awe of your splendor! Engulf in the magnificence of the divine! Hadō 6: Nikkō Bāsuto!"

A sphere of brilliant white light shot forth. Flying out into the middle of the training yard, it then detonated, releasing waves of blinding light. Itachi had already shielded his eyes, and it was most fortunate that he had; he would've risked serious retina damage looking at the Kidō flare directly.

Once the light faded he turned towards his instructor, who was smiling as she applauded his handiwork. "Well done! That was a much bigger burst than last time!"

Itachi nodded. "Thank you."

 _That's a most useful spell_ , he mused, _Temporarily blinding enemies is the most obvious application, but it can also be utilized as a signal flare if aimed towards the sky. It'll be even more effective once I'm able to cast it without the incantation and maintain most of the glare it produces._

He had four days to go until his examination with the Head Captain, and Minerva was ramping up the pace as a result. His drills had become much more intense, and his teacher was setting the bar for success higher with each passing day. Itachi wasn't complaining, though. Far from it; the challenge excited him, especially since he was learning so much in such a short amount of time. He felt like he had made more progress in the past few weeks than he had in the months he'd spent at the Academy prior to the soul fracture, and he was very much looking forward to the upcoming evaluation.

He heard a second set of hands join in the applause, and as he glanced to the side he saw none other than Jiraiya approaching. The Legendary Sannin smiled as he came forward, although Itachi could not help but notice his classmate's eyes lingering on the ample curves of his instructor.

 _This could be a problem_ , he mused, _I can't say for sure how Minerva will react if Jiraiya… well, if he acts like himself._

"Wow!" said the sage, "That's better than anyone in our class has been able to manage. Looks like you're really coming along, Itachi!"

Itachi nodded in greeting. "Jiraiya. What are you doing here?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "I got leave to visit you this afternoon. I mean, we are pals, right?"

Minerva folded her arms and smirked. "So, you're Jiraiya, huh? Interesting…"

Jiraiya grinned as he held out his hand. "You have me at a disadvantage, miss…"

"Rawlins," she replied, "Minerva Rawlins, retainer to the Shihōin Clan and former Lieutenant of Squad Two. Lady Yoruichi's requested that I oversee Itachi's training and cram studies to get him caught up with the rest of the students in the advanced track. I was wondering when our paths might cross."

"Really?" said Jiraiya, "Why's that?"

"Lady Yoruichi mentioned that she had met you along with Itachi the same night, and that you had both aced the entrance exams," said Minerva, "She was impressed by the potential you showed, although she was also amused at your, shall we say, ill-advised attempts to _ingratiate_ yourself with Captain Unohana. Really, I'm amazed you still have hands after that."

Jiraiya laughed. "Well, what can I say? I've got a certain charm that takes its time to work its magic!"

Minerva chuckled. "Is that so? Well, if you're here to try to ply those charms on me, I shall only say this; my blade's as sharp now as it was when I was on active duty, and I've maintained the skills needed to make the most of that edge."

Jiraiya whistled, and although he raised his hands as if to surrender, Itachi could not help but note the amused look in his eyes. "All right, all right! There's no need for the steel to come out from behind the silk, Miss Rawlins! While I'm always up for a pleasant conversation with a woman as lovely as yourself, I really just came here to check up on Itachi."

Minerva nodded. "Very well, then. Itachi, we can take a break for a few minutes. I'll be back shortly, and we'll be picking up right where we left off. I expect you to be ready."

"Of course, Miss Rawlins," he replied, giving her a curt bow.

His instructor gave an evaluating look to Jiraiya before heading inside. The Legendary Sannin's gaze lingered on her backside as she left, and Itachi rolled his eyes; some things truly never changed.

"One-on-one instruction with a beauty like that?" he said with a chuckle, "You really _do_ get all the luck, you know that?"

"So you keep saying," Itachi deadpanned, "How's class going?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "Not bad. It's kind of weird being at the top of the rankings; I'm used to someone else taking the spotlight. My class clown act's just not as fun when the teachers don't have a serious and talented star student to compare me to."

"Sorry for the inconvenience," said Itachi, "Don't worry; you'll have me back in the mix soon enough."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "You sure about that? I know that the Head Captain himself is the one who'll decide whether you rejoin us or start over. He doesn't strike me as the type to go easy on someone, no matter what their circumstances or abilities are."

"Believe me, I'm well aware of that," Itachi replied, "I'm not expecting this to be easy, but I've had a good teacher to help me prepare. More than one, actually."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "You mean the spirit of your Zanpakutō, right? You find out her name yet?"

Itachi shook his head. "It would seem that I'm not ready for that in her eyes. That's natural, I suppose; she did awaken prematurely, after all."

Jiraiya smiled. "Still, the fact that she's awake in the first place is something. When it comes to your Zanpakutō, you're further along that anyone in class. People are going to be jealous of you once you return, so you'd better watch your back!"

"Duly noted," said Itachi.

Jiraiya's smile became a smirk. "So, has the lovely Squad Two Captain been by to see you at all?"

"She has," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "What's it to you?"

Jiraiya sighed. "You really need to loosen up a bit. Don't tell me you weren't happy to see her!"

"I was," Itachi replied casually, "I fail to see how that's any of your business, though."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "Fine, forget I asked. So, is Captain Unohana around?"

"This is her division's barracks, so that's a yes," said Itachi, "If you're looking for another dislocated shoulder, she should be in her office."

Jiraiya laughed. "Is she now? I might just have to stop by!"

"Feel free to do so," Itachi deadpanned, "Just don't say I didn't warn you about the shoulder if you press your luck."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I'll try to remember that."

The two of them were quiet for a moment before Jiraiya spoke again, and this time the Legendary Sannin looked quite serious. "I've been doing some thinking lately. You and I have a pretty good idea as to how the whole process of souls crossing over here works now, and not just because we experienced it firsthand. Everything that our instructors have taught us got me to wondering about ninja you and I might've known that have already passed on… and those who haven't yet."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "I'm listening."

"The Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Danzō… the ninja world has some pretty nasty customers," Jiraiya continued, "Supposedly the worst of the worst go to Hell, but there's always the chance that some could end up here. Even if their ability to use ninjutsu is gone in the afterlife, spiritual power would allow them to do a lot of damage should they properly harness it."

Itachi nodded. "That's true. I know that the Akatsuki in particular had already taken several casualties prior to my passing, and our former world has plenty of other unsavory characters that have passed beyond the veil. Hollows are far from the only threat to the Soul Society when the likes of them are at large."

"Exactly," Jiraiya replied, "Of course, who's to say that some of them haven't already _become_ Hollows?"

"That's hardly a comforting notion," Itachi quipped.

Jiraiya nodded. "Believe me, I know. My point is that we really need to keep our eyes and ears open for signs that any of our old enemies might be active in the Soul Society. Ninjutsu made them dangerous enough in life. In death, they may lose the powers that they were accustomed to, but they could gain an entirely different set of abilities… and potentially become even deadlier than they were in life. The likes of ex-Akatsuki getting Hollow powers is bad enough, but can you imagine the kind of carnage they'd be capable of if they somehow acquired _Soul Reaper_ abilities?"

"Kidō and Zanpakutō…" Itachi murmured, images of potential death and devastation flashing through his mind, "Shikai and Bankai… they'd be on a whole different level of strength with such power at their disposal."

"My point exactly," said Jiraiya grimly, "We need to build up our own abilities as quickly as we can, and not just to graduate from the Academy and take our places in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. If any of our old enemies come to the Soul Society and still have the same ideals and beliefs that led them down such dark paths in life, then I'm sure they'd be more than willing to enact them here if they managed to gain the power to do so."

Itachi nodded. He had already been determined to learn all he could and improve his skills, but now there was a whole new level of urgency to his efforts. There were _plenty_ of people that he'd dealt with in life that could prove to be a threat to the Soul Society if given the right tools for the job… and even more who had come and gone long before Itachi had been born.

 _'Rest in peace' is a common blessing passed from the living to the dead_ , he mused darkly, _but the more I learn about this afterlife, the more it seems to be anything_ but _peaceful…_

….

 **Three days later…**

"All right, now," said Minerva from the sidelines, "You know what to do. Three…two… one… go!"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. The world suddenly flew by in a whirlwind, and the next second later he was completely across the training yard. Looking down at the ground, he allowed himself a small and satisfied smirk when he saw the black mat beneath him.

 _Right on target._

"Excellent!" cheered Minerva as she clapped, "You've really got this down! The only student I've ever seen perform Shunpo better than you at this stage is Lady Yoruichi. She'd be proud to see how far you've come with your technique."

Itachi bowed. "You flatter me, Miss Minerva."

His teacher shook her head. "Hardly. Just ask Lady Yoruichi the next time you see her; flattery's not my style. You truly are a talented young man. I must say, I'm almost reluctant to let you return to the Academy; I'd love to see how much further you could go under my individual instruction rather than have you go back to the classroom."

"I think you're putting the cart before the horse," Itachi replied, "I still have to pass the Head Captain's test tomorrow."

Minerva smiled. "Trust me, you'll be fine. Just give the test as much focus and determination as you have your training under me, and I'm confident that you'll succeed."

Itachi nodded. "Thanks. Do you know how the Head Captain will structure the test?"

"I have only the vaguest outline, I'm afraid," she replied, "There will be a written portion and a physical evaluation. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine."

"I see," said Itachi.

Minerva came over and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Don't overthink it. You'll only stress yourself out if you worry about what's beyond your control. There won't be anything on the Head Captain's test that you haven't gone over with me already. The Head Captain's firm, but he can be fair as well. In fact, with everything that I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised if the Head Captain tries to recruit you into his division once the test is done!"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm sure that would be an honor, but from what I've learned since my education here began I don't think that Squad One would be a very good fit for me. Rules and regulation have their place, but the Head Captain's division seems too rigid when compared to some of the other units."

"Well, that's to be expected," Minerva replied, "The Head Captain is the most powerful and renowned Soul Reaper in existence. Naturally, the members of his division are expected to maintain the utmost degree of professionalism and honor in their conduct. The bar's set higher there than any other unit of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"Honor and professionalism are all well and good," Itachi argued, "but based on everything you've taught me, Squad One appears to be a bit too focused on doing things by-the-book. They also don't get as much time out in the field when compared to other units. In fact, the division seems more like an administrative entity than anything else."

"It's true that Squad One is more involved with the day-to-day running of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a whole than other units," Minerva admitted, "Given the size of the Soul Society's military, a certain level of bureaucracy is inevitable. All divisions have their own internal paperwork to attend to, but Squad One is the unit that they ultimately file it with, and thus it's charged with coordinating and overseeing all the others. Squad One answers only to Yamamoto and the Central Forty-Six, and if you think the Head Captain's division is stiff, trust me; the Central Forty-Six are orders of magnitude worse."

Itachi nodded. "Duly noted."

"All that considered, don't brush Squad One off as just a bunch of paper-pushers," Minerva cautioned, "They may not get as much field time as the other units, but they make up for that with a strict training regimen. Besides, they've still got both the Head Captain and his Lieutenant leading them, and the two of them are incredibly powerful. The Head Captain himself has seen more battles than any other Soul Reaper in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and old age hasn't slowed him down a bit."

"So I've heard," said Itachi.

Minerva smiled. "You know, it's not often that he's willing to personally evaluate an individual student. Lady Yoruichi may be your lead advocate, but the Head Captain wouldn't have gone along with this if he didn't see true potential in you."

"It'd be hard for him to see much of anything, considering we haven't met yet," Itachi deadpanned, "The closest we came to that was his address to the student body at the start of the schoolyear."

Minerva raised an eyebrow. "And you don't think that the marks you received in class prior to the soul fracture would've caught his eye? Or perhaps you don't believe that Lady Yoruichi and Captain Unohana witnessing you and Jiraiya taking down a Hollow unarmed and with no Soul Reaper training is something that might earn the Head Captain's attention?"

"The Thirteen Court Guard Squads weren't always here," said Itachi, "I've certainly learned that much from my time at the Academy. The same goes for Zanpakutō and even the Soul Reapers themselves, yet the fact that souls were able to survive the depredations of Hollows before then would seem to indicate that people were still able to fight and defeat them."

Minerva nodded. "You are not wrong, but those times were far more brutal than the present day. Yes, people were still able to defeat Hollows, but those victories often came at great cost. The rise of the Soul Reapers and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads should be enough to tell you that a greater form of protection was needed."

"I do not dispute that," Itachi replied, "but if the Head Captain truly is as old as everyone believes, then I imagine he has met others in the past who were able to defeat Hollows without Soul Reaper powers at their disposal. What Jiraiya and I accomplished may be rare these days, but I doubt it's unheard of. There's also the fact that the two of us were barely able to defeat _one_ Hollow, and three more showed up immediately after that one was killed. Were it not for the intervention of Captains Yoruichi and Unohana, Jiraiya and I would not have survived."

"Quite true," said Minerva, "but thanks to them, the two of you _did_ survive, and you are here now. Lady Yoruichi believes that there is a great deal that the two of you can offer the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and I am inclined to believe her. It should not surprise you that others feel that way as well."

"You say the two of us, but I seem to be the one getting the special treatment," Itachi noted, "I don't see any special tutors for Jiraiya, yet he and I were at the top of our class together before the soul fracture."

"It is precisely because you suffered the soul fracture that my services became necessary, remember?" Minerva countered, "Were the situation reversed, who's to say that Jiraiya would not receive the same treatment from Lady Yoruichi? You may be the one that's truly caught her eye, but make no mistake; she has high hopes for both of you."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "If she would help either of us, then why do you say that I'm the one that she's really focused on?"

Minerva smiled as she looked past him. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

Itachi turned around to see none other than Yoruichi and Soi-Fon standing at the edge of the training yard. "How long have the two of you been here?"

Yoruichi smiled as she stepped forward, her bodyguard trailing behind her. "Long enough. How's it going, Minerva?"

Minerva gave her a polite bow. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi. It's good to see you as well, Soi-Fon."

Soi-Fon gave her a curt nod. "Minerva."

The Captain of Squad Two then turned to Itachi. "So, you want to know why I've taken a particular shine to you?"

"It would be nice to get some clarity on that," Itachi admitted, "Don't get me wrong; I _am_ grateful for all that you've done for me. It's just… well…"

"Why you, out of all the other students I could've chosen to give patronage to?" Yoruichi finished for him with a knowing smirk, "I've got an eye for talent, Itachi. Sure, Jiraiya landed the killing blow on that Hollow the night we met, but I was honestly more impressed with _you_. The way you moved and fought, coordinating with your ally while playing to your strengths… you may not have been trained in the art of fighting Hollows, but you handled yourself impeccably all the same. I could tell that you were something special, and you've only proven me right since then. In fact, I don't really think it's possible to put it into words, so why don't I help you demonstrate through _action_ just what I'm getting at here?"

"What do you have in mind?" he asked.

Yoruichi grinned as she shed her haori, revealing her black sleeveless and backless outfit while her right hand slipped down to her Zanpakutō. "Fight me. Right here, right now. I won't use Shikai, Bankai, Kidō, or anything else. Just Zanjutsu."

"Lady Yoruichi, you shouldn't!" Soi-Fon protested, "You're too reckless!"

"As much as I'd like to watch the two of you spar, Lady Yoruichi," said Minerva, "I believe that would be unfair to Itachi. Even without Shikai or Bankai, we all know that you'd easily win."

"It's not about winning or losing," Yoruichi replied, her gaze locked on Itachi, "Just like it wasn't about winning or losing the day you challenged me in your Hakuda class, Itachi. It's about discovering just how far your skills have come. What do you say? Care to dance?"

Itachi could not help but give a small smile; there was something about the playful energy in her eyes that he just couldn't say no to. "All right."

The two of them stepped out into the middle of the training yard. As they drew their Zanpakutō, Itachi saw Minerva and Soi-Fon move off to the side. He turned his gaze back to Yoruichi, who held her short sword in a reverse grip.

She gave him a devious smirk. "Ready whenever you are, Itachi."

Itachi turned to Minerva, who stepped forward and raised her arm. She looked back and forth between Itachi and Yoruichi for a moment before commencing her countdown.

"Three…two…one…go!" she barked.

Yoruichi surged forward like a bolt of lightning. It wasn't a Flash Step, but it was still incredibly fast, and Itachi was barely able to bring his sword up in time to block her opening strike. While successful in preventing her from scoring a winning hit right off the back, he didn't have time to congratulate himself; Yoruichi's first attack was just the initial move in a sequence of strikes, a rapid-fire blitz designed to overwhelm his defenses. His sword weaved through the air like a thing possessed as Itachi defended himself from her punishing assault.

 _My sword's longer than hers, so I have the edge in reach_ , he thought as he backpedaled and deflected her blows, _but a smaller sword can be used with greater speed and precision, and offers more flexibility as well. She's got all of the above and more…_

It quickly became apparent that Yoruichi's particular style of Zanjutsu was much more acrobatic in nature than that of his fellow students. She leapt, flipped, rolled, and more, refusing to attack along a single axis. Her agility and flexibility were on full display here, and Itachi could only marvel at her balance and control. For all her hops and spins, there wasn't a single moment where she let her momentum get the better of her. She was in complete command of her body and blade, and it was all Itachi could do to keep her from overwhelming him with her speed and mobility.

Leaping into the air, she did a somersault over his head and came down behind him, lashing out with her sword before her feet even hit the ground. Itachi parried the strike, but before he could counter she struck again, and he was barely able to deflect the attack. She might not have been going all out, but even while holding back she very much remained a force to be reckoned with.

And Itachi loved it.

On the surface he appeared as calm as ever, but inside he could not deny how much he was enjoying the chance to spar with her again. Their fight in his Hakuda class had never been far from his mind during his training bouts with Minerva, but getting to cross swords with her was something new entirely, a breathtaking experience that Itachi wanted to savor. Her moves were so unlike those of anyone that he had sparred with before, with a catlike grace that emphasized her efficiency and precision. His advantage in reach meant nothing in the face of her experience and skill; she was in complete control of the match, and they both knew it.

Regardless of the gap in skill and the knowledge that he didn't have a chance at victory, Itachi's eyes still searched for the slightest of openings even as his sparring partner continued her relentless assault. No fighting style was perfect; every technique had a flaw, a gap in its defenses, big or small, and Itachi was determined to find it here. He could not go this entire fight without at least once seizing the initiative for himself, and if nothing else he wanted to make sure that his opponent got to enjoy herself as much as he was.

After a few more seconds of blocks and deflections, Itachi finally found what he was looking for. Rather than directly parry Yoruichi's next strike, he ducked instead, allowing her blade to slice through the air just above his shoulder. He then brought his Zanpakutō up and thrust forward, forcing her to pull her weapon back to redirect his attack. Itachi didn't let that stop him; he pivoted and whirled, adding centrifugal force to his follow-up strike. Yoruichi once again blocked the attack, but Itachi was able to press the assault; at last, he was on the offensive.

He struck hard and fast, launching a swift sequence of slashes and cuts. Yoruichi deflected every one of them, and the way she hopped back and forth from one foot to the other made it almost feel like she was dancing as she fended off his attacks. She was grinning as he continued to push forward, eagerly evaluating him, studying his moves and trying to figure out just what else he had up his sleeve.

She laughed as she parried blow after blow. "Now this is more like it! Come on, Itachi! Show me what you've got!"

Itachi happily obliged her. He pushed forward, determined to make her sweat this round. Up and down, left and right; his Zanpakutō was all over the place. Variety was the spice of life, as the old saying went, and that was especially true for a swordfight. Unpredictability would be the only way for Itachi to keep his foe on her toes, but that was definitely a case of easier said than done. After all, even with his considerable skills and prior combat experience, it would be all too easy for him to unconsciously fall into a pattern that Yoruichi could eventually recognize and exploit. Feigning randomness and mixing things up was much harder than most people believed. One couldn't just swing their sword about wildly like a drunken lunatic; even in such a mad frenzy, eventually a pattern would emerge whether the wielder wanted it to or not. As counterintuitive as it sounded, randomness had to be calculated.

So Itachi did precisely that, or at least attempted to. A burst of thrusts here, a flurry of slashes there; whatever he could think of that would keep her guessing. Alas, despite his best efforts, not once did she betray even the slightest hint of being caught off guard by his moves. Hers was the confidence of a lioness that had its prey dead to rights; she was only waiting for the right moment to pounce.

That moment came when Itachi overextended himself on a thrust, and Yoruichi instantly seized it. With a deft flick of her wrist, she redirected his strike, and a split-second later her blade was at his throat.

She smiled as she held her Zanpakutō just a centimeter over his skin. "Even better than I'd hoped for. Minerva's worked wonders with you, Itachi."

"I'm afraid I can't take all the credit here, Lady Yoruichi," the instructor chimed in, "After all, he has been practicing with the spirit of his Zanpakutō as well."

Yoruichi nodded as she withdrew her blade and sheathed it. "Of course. How's that been going, Itachi? Making any progress with your Zanpakutō?"

"Not with regards to her name," Itachi replied as he put his sword away, "but our sparring matches are as intense as ever."

Yoruichi gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Give it time. You'll be able to hear her name soon enough. Hell, I'm impressed with how far you've come in just the last month. I hope you can see now why I've invested so much time and effort into you; it's not every day that a Captain takes the time to spar with an Academy student, you know."

Itachi bowed. "I appreciate everything that you've done for me. I promise I won't let your efforts on my behalf go to waste."

Yoruichi smiled again. "I know you won't. You're ready for tomorrow, Itachi. I can't wait to see the look on the Head Captain's face when you ace his test!"

"Forgive me, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon, "but I don't think that a test administered by the Head Captain himself is something to be taken so lightly. Itachi, please remain vigilant."

Itachi nodded. "I will."

Yoruichi sighed. "It's too bad you're not part of the squad yet, otherwise I'd take you out drinking after a match like that. I'd probably drag Kisuke and Soi-Fon along for the ride too, now that I think about it. I bet you'd be pretty fun to hang out a bar with, Itachi."

"I don't know about that," Itachi replied, "I didn't drink all that much when I was alive, and that hasn't changed since coming to the Soul Society."

Yoruichi grinned. "Trust me; we'll fix that as soon as you graduate!"

Minerva rolled her eyes. "No offense, Lady Yoruichi, but sometimes you sound like Captain Kyōraku. I don't think that his is an example that your parents ever wanted you to follow."

Yoruichi laughed. "Oh, lighten up, Minerva! You know that I don't drink nearly as much as he does!"

"Perhaps," Minerva replied with a smile, "but I do worry sometimes. You are the Shihōin Clan's princess, after all; you have a position beyond your rank as Captain to consider, you know."

"You don't need to remind me," said Yoruichi, "I get enough letters from my parents regarding that as it is. Don't worry; I've never taken the partying too far."

"I don't think the partying's really what your parents are concerned about," said Minerva, "but I suppose you would know that better than I."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Is there something that I'm missing here?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "It's nothing; just stupid noble family politics. Don't worry about it, Itachi."

Itachi was curious, but he knew when to back off. "Very well, then."

The Squad Two Captain turned back to Minerva. "Well, do you have anything else in store for him today?"

Minerva shook her head. "I've covered everything that I can possibly think of. He's as ready as he can be for tomorrow."

Yoruichi smiled as she turned to Itachi. "Glad we're on the same page, then. Well, nothing left for you to do but rest up until tomorrow, Itachi. Make sure you get a full night's sleep, all right? If I know the Head Captain, you're gonna need it."

Itachi nodded. "Will do."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then," she said with a wink, "Sweet dreams, Itachi!"

….

 **The next day…**

It had been quite some time since Itachi had last seen the Head Captain, and this was the _first_ time that the master of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads had spoken to him directly. If the venerable Soul Reaper had been imposing before when addressing the students of Shin'ō Academy on the first day of the school year, then the weight of his bearing was all the heavier now that it was focused on Itachi alone. The scarred and powerful old man studied him for a good long moment, and Itachi didn't dare make the first move.

 _Not even the Third Hokage held the same level of gravitas that the Head Captain commands_ , he thought, _I know he's not actively exerting his spiritual pressure, but even so… it's almost_ crushing _with his focus on me like this._

It wasn't just the Head Captain that had come to see Itachi in the Squad Four barracks today. Off to the side were Captains Yoruichi and Unohana, along with Minerva and Soi-Fon. In addition to them was another man that Itachi had not met before; a tall and lightly-tanned Soul Reaper with short silver-gray hair, a small black handlebar mustache, and sharp brown eyes. Over the standard shihakushō he wore a white _jinbaori_ with long white arm-guards. There was also a white turtle-neck under his uniform, and a Lieutenant's armband was on his left arm.

"It is nice to meet you, Itachi Uchiha," said the Head Captain, causing the former Shinobi to stiffen his posture ever so slightly, "Rare indeed is a student that one of my Captains will speak so highly of, yet it seems that you have impressed both Captain Shihōin and Captain Unohana."

Itachi bowed. "I'm honored by their praise. My only desire is to demonstrate that I am worthy of the faith they have shown in me."

"You will be given a chance to do precisely that today," said the Head Captain before nodding at the white-haired Lieutenant.

The man stepped forward and passed a stack of papers to Itachi. "I am Chōjirō Sasakibe, the Lieutenant of Squad One. I assisted the Head Captain in working up the evaluation that you shall take today."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

"You will start with the academic test you now hold in your hand," said the Head Captain as he gestured at the sole table in the middle of the room, "Two hours will be granted for you to complete it. Once it is complete, I will personally review your answers. After that, we shall move on to the physical portion of this examination. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Head Captain," he replied.

"Then take a seat, Itachi Uchiha," said the Head Captain, his eyes narrowing, "Your test will begin on my mark."

Itachi went over to the table and sat down. A pen was already there waiting for him. Itachi took a moment to look over the first page before turning to his audience. Did all of them really intend to just stand there and watch as he took a written test for the next two hours? If they did, he couldn't stop them, although he imagined that they'd be awfully bored waiting for him to finish.

After a moment, the Head Captain spoke again. "Your test begins… now!"

There was nothing left to do now but go for it.

….

"Looks like he's coming along well," Minerva whispered into Yoruichi's ear, "I think he'll be done soon."

Squad Two's Captain nodded. It had been about an hour and a half since Itachi had started the test. No one had left the room, and to his credit Itachi had acted as though the rest of them weren't even there. His attention was solely on his exam, giving each question careful consideration before writing his answer.

 _I wish I knew what exactly was on it_ , she thought, _Head Captain Yamamoto wouldn't share the material with any of us, though. I guess that's to be expected, though; with the favor I've shown to Itachi, he might've been worried about me trying to give him an edge in the test._

That wasn't something that Yoruichi would've done, though; she had faith in Itachi and wanted him to succeed on his own merits. If she had shown him favor it was only because she had seen the incredible potential within him, and she wanted to do all she could to help him develop his abilities as a Soul Reaper. She considered it her duty as a Captain to make sure that the Soul Society would benefit from Itachi's gifts once they matured… although privately, she might admit that her personal feelings played a role here too.

There was something about the young man that sparked curiosity within her. For a new arrival in the Soul Society, he had already shown a remarkable affinity for the fighting arts, and that raised a good deal of questions. What had he been in his former life? Who had he fought, and how had he fought them? How had a man as bright and talented as he appeared to be met his end at such a young age?

In the Soul Society, inquiring about the past lives of arrivals was considered something close to a social taboo. At the very least, it wasn't to be done casually; only those who had deep connections with each other could even consider to ask such questions. When someone passed on from the Realms of the Living to the Soul Society, who they had been in the past was no longer supposed to matter. Here, they had been given a new life, one that, in theory at least, they could live without being burdened by the past.

However, Yoruichi suspected that Itachi _was_ burdened by his past. Perhaps it was just because he was still a new arrival, but Yoruichi believed that there was more to it. She had not forgotten what Unohana had told her when Itachi had healed from the soul fracture, and she could only guess at what might make a stoic young man such as himself shed tears. Although he had shown himself to be both a model student and a brave individual, Yoruichi had not failed to notice how there seemed to be a shadow in his gaze. He was a calm young man, but she'd caught hints of what appeared to be a deeper emotional scarring when she'd looked into his eyes. She didn't know what he had seen and done when he had been alive, but he was clearly haunted by it.

 _I know it's not my place to pry_ , she thought as she watched him enter the home stretch of the written test, _but still… that doesn't mean I'm not tempted. I was_ born _in the Soul Society; I didn't come here through death like Itachi did. My knowledge of the Realms of the Living stretches only as far as the missions I've been on outside the Soul Society, so I can only imagine what Itachi's time there was like. However, I think it's pretty safe to say that his life wasn't like that of your average person. Someone who lived a normal and healthy life isn't the type of person who has the skill and temperament required to challenge a Hollow unarmed after just arriving in the Soul Society. Something happened to him… and whatever it was, I've got a feeling that it wasn't pretty._

For now, there was little for her to do but rein in her curiosity. If all went well, not only would Itachi pass today's test, but eventually he would graduate from the Academy and take his place amongst the active duty Soul Reapers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, preferably in her division. Eventually, she hoped that their professional relationship and personal friendship would develop to the point that she'd be able to broach such a sensitive topic with him. If nothing else, he really did strike her as a decent young man, and she definitely wouldn't mind the chance to get to know him better.

Another ten minutes or so passed before Itachi put his pen down and gathered up the test papers. He then stood up and presented them to the Head Captain.

"I believe that's all of them," the young man said, "What next?"

"I shall grade them personally," the Head Captain replied, "with some assistance from Lieutenant Sasakibe. You will wait out in the hall with the others. Once we are finished here, you shall move on to the physical portion of this evaluation."

Itachi nodded. "Understood, Head Captain."

Yoruichi smiled as Itachi came over towards her. "You finished before the whole two hours was up. I think you nailed it!"

"I hope so," said Itachi as they left the room, "The questions weren't easy."

"That's to be expected," said Minerva as the door shut behind them, "The Head Captain himself came up with the test, after all. Still, you should've been familiar with all the material presented."

"I was," said Itachi, "thanks to you, Miss Minerva."

Minerva smiled. "Don't look so worried; I'm sure you did just fine."

Yoruichi grinned as she gave Itachi a pat on the back. "She's right, Itachi. You got this!"

Soi-Fon nodded. "I believe that you will succeed, Itachi."

"I must admit," Unohana chimed in, "you completed the Head Captain's written examination faster than I thought you would. I believe that bodes well, although you should not rest on your laurels until you've completed the physical evaluation too."

Itachi nodded. "Of course."

They spent the better part of the next hour standing in the hallway making the occasional bit of small-talk as they waited for the Head Captain and his Lieutenant to finish reviewing Itachi's written test. While Yoruichi could be a patient woman when the situation called for it, she was actually rather eager for them all to move on to the physical portion of the examination.

 _I can't wait for the Head Captain to see just how far Itachi's come_ , she thought, the excitement building within her, _Hell, it'll be fun to see the look on Sasakibe's face too when he sees just what Itachi's capable of!_

When the Head Captain and his Lieutenant finally emerged from the room, Yoruichi saw Yamamoto give Itachi a long, hard stare. She couldn't tell what the old man was thinking, but that was par for the course. Eventually the Head Captain nodded at the young man, and Yoruichi thought she caught the barest hint of a smile beneath that ridiculously thick mustache of his.

"Well done, Itachi," he said, "I'm pleased to inform you that you passed your written examination with flying colors."

Itachi nodded, and Yoruichi saw some of the tension leave him. "Thank you, Head Captain."

Unohana smiled. "Congratulations, Itachi."

Minerva folded her arms, a satisfied smirk on her face. "I expected nothing less."

Yoruichi gave Itachi a playful punch on the shoulder. "See, what did I tell you? You had nothing to worry about!"

Even Soi-Fon was smiling. "Well done."

Lieutenant Sasakibe cleared his throat. "While the academic test is now complete, we must still conduct the physical examination."

Yamamoto nodded. "Indeed. Let us proceed to the training yard so that we may begin the tests for Kidō, Hohō, Hakuda, and Zanjutsu."

Yoruichi and the others followed the Head Captain outside. She saw that a series of targets had already been set up; it appeared that they would be starting with Kidō.

The Head Captain pointed the gnarled staff that contained his Zanpakutō at a mat that had been set out in the training yard. "Itachi, we shall begin the physical examination by testing your skills in Kidō. First semester students in the advanced track are expected to have a basic understanding of Hadō 1 through 20, so you will perform all of those spells. You will be given a brief rest period at intervals of every five spells so that you may maintain your spirit energy. Is that understood?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, Head Captain."

"Very well, then," said the Head Captain, "You may begin when you are ready."

 _All right, then_ , thought Yoruichi as she saw Itachi step onto the mat, _I guess it's time for Round Two._

 _You can do it, Itachi!_

….

 _Looks like he's doing just fine_ , Minerva thought as she watched the home stretch of the Kidō test with a satisfied smile, _I wonder what's going through the old man's head right about now…_

She looked on as Itachi held his right hand up high and began the latest incantation. "Lord of Storms, Queen of the Sky, Wrath of the Heavens! The Knight of the Bolt rides forth to strike down the Heart of Corruption! Hadō 19: Raimei!"

A spear composed of golden-yellow lighting appeared just above the upraised palm of his hand. The lance flew forward a second later and struck the target downrange dead-center, bursting it into splinters.

 _Excellent_ , she thought, _I couldn't spot a single flaw in his form, and the incantation was spot-on. Just one more to go, Itachi._

Even with a short break every five spells, running through twenty of them like this was no small feat for a first-year student, even in the advanced track. Itachi had proven himself to be more than up to the challenge, though. He had remained composed and focused throughout the test, and Minerva was pleased to see all the hours they'd spent practicing paying off here. If the Kidō Corps learned of his performance here today, then Minerva suspected that Yoruichi would have even more competition when the time came to recruit Itachi after graduation.

"Impressive," she heard Unohana murmur.

Yoruichi was smiling. "Come on, Itachi. You're almost there."

"Just one left…" Soi-Fon muttered.

Sasakibe quickly jotted something down on a notepad. "Well done."

The Head Captain gave Itachi a nod. "Commence the final spell!"

Itachi held out both hands as he chanted the incantation. "Wave of the Divine, crash upon the ramparts of the Demon King! Overwhelm through righteous might, pound through the tempest of Hell! Hadō 20: Tenkū no Myaku!"

The air rippled and warped as a broad wave of invisible energy burst forth. A line of targets was knocked over by the pulse, and even a few tiles were uprooted by the strength of the attack.

Yoruichi started clapping. "Nice job, Itachi!"

Unohana smiled. "Superb technique."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Well done."

Minerva clapped as well. "Excellent work!"

"Indeed," said Sasakibe, looking rather impressed by the display, "Quite a demonstration for a student."

The Head Captain nodded in approval. "Quite so. That concludes the Kidō portion of this test. Itachi, if you would kindly step inside for a few minutes while we prepare for the Hohō section of this evaluation, that would be appreciated."

"Understood," Itachi replied.

Not knowing what else to do, Minerva followed him, with Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, and Unohana in tow. She was curious as to what sort of test the Head Captain had devised in order to evaluate Itachi's progress with Hohō, but she doubted that the old man would take kindly on her spying on the preparation.

 _Stay on your guard, Itachi_ , she thought as she silently studied her student, _I'm proud of how well you've done so far, but you're not out of the woods just yet._

….

"I wonder what Head Captain Yamamoto has in mind for evaluating your progress with Hohō," Captain Unohana mused aloud, "I know the Academy has its own standards, but I imagine that he'd be deviating from the usual testing due to these unique circumstances."

"Whatever the old man has up his sleeves, Itachi can take it," said Yoruichi as she gave the young man a confident smile, "Isn't that right, Itachi?"

To his credit, Itachi appeared very calm, although Unohana thought she detected a bit of tension in his features. It was perfectly natural given the stakes involved in the evaluation, after all, but Unohana was still impressed with how well he kept in check. He had a level of self-awareness and control that was very uncommon in Academy students, particularly ones that were still in their first year.

"I suppose I'll find out soon enough," he said after a moment.

Soi-Fon's brow furrowed in thought. "A special Hohō evaluation would likely test the accuracy of you Shunpo technique, along with distance and speed. How would the Head Captain accomplish that in an area as confined as the training yard?"

"There are several possibilities," said Minerva, "Knowing the Head Captain, it'll be something sufficiently challenging."

Before any of them could speculate further the door to the training yard slid open, and Lieutenant Sasakibe poked his head in. "The Head Captain is ready for you now, Itachi."

The group went outside, and Unohana's eyes narrowed as she saw that a series of mats had been laid out across the training yard. Each one had a black circle drawn on it, and in the center of the circle was a red dot. In addition, each mat had a small white flag set up next to it with a black number on it. The numbers went from one to twenty, corresponding with the number of mats that had been set up.

 _I believe I see what the Head Captain has in mind now_ , Unohana mused, _I wonder if Itachi's figured it out yet…_

Minerva folded her arms as she observed the setup. "Interesting…"

Yoruichi smirked. "Yeah. This should be fun to watch."

The Head Captain stepped forward. "Your objective here is simple, Itachi. Starting from the first mat, you will Flash Step to each of the other mats in ascending numerical order. Simply landing within the black circle on each mat will earn you one point, while landing directly on the red dot will give you two points. Knocking over a flag or landing outside the circle, however, will result in the loss of a point, and missing a mat entirely will cost you two points. The minimum passing score is thirty. Is that understood?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes."

"Thirty to pass?" said Soi-Fon, raising an eyebrow, "Out of a possible total of forty points? That's too much for an Academy student! That would mean that he can't afford to miss a single target, and he'd have to get at least ten bullseyes on top of that!"

"For the likes of us, it's a simple task," said Unohana, "For a student, however, it's rather daunting… especially for one that's still a first-year."

Minerva nodded. "Yes. An ordinary student would be lucky just to scrape by. However…"

"Itachi's no ordinary student," Yoruichi finished for her with a confident smile, "He can do this."

"I shall be timing you as you take this test," Lieutenant Sasakibe added, "Your speed will also be a factor in determining whether or not you pass or fail."

"Understood," said Itachi.

The Head Captain pointed to another mat, one without a target on it or flag standing by it. "Take your place there. You will start on Lieutenant Sasakibe's cue."

Itachi did as the Head Captain instructed, and all the while Unohana and the others waited for the countdown. Since Itachi's training over the past month had taken place in the Squad Four barracks, Unohana had occasionally witnessed his Shunpo practice sessions. She would be the first to admit that he had made considerable progress, but was he really ready for a test that required this level of control? Yoruichi and Minerva might've been confident about Itachi's chances, but the Captain of Squad Four was leaning more towards Soi-Fon's assessment; the Head Captain might indeed be asking too much of the young man.

 _There is no point in raising objections now_ , she thought somberly, _Head Captain Yamamoto has thrown down the gauntlet, and Itachi appears to have accepted the challenge. All the rest of us can do now is watch and hope for the best._

"Commencing countdown!" barked Sasakibe, "Five… four… three… two… one… begin!"

It was fortunate that everyone in the audience was capable of following a Shunpo practitioner's movements, yet even with her trained eyes Unohana was still surprised by just how swiftly Itachi raced through the course. His technique was far beyond that of a typical student; not only did he have speed, but his precision was truly something to behold. The numbered flags flapped in the wind created by the rush of his movements, but not one of them fell over.

And every step Itachi took put him right on the red dot at the center of each target.

It was over in mere seconds, and Unohana belatedly realized that she had actually been holding her breath during the demonstration. She allowed herself a small smile as she turned her gaze to the Head Captain, and although the head of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads kept the same implacable expression on his face, she thought she caught just the barest hint of approval in his eyes.

Yoruichi grinned and clapped. "Good work, Itachi!"

Soi-Fon gave a small smile as well. "That was very well done."

Minerva smirked. "Perfect."

"Indeed," said Unohana, "What say you, Lieutenant Sasakibe?"

It took a moment for him to respond. "I… I could not find any flaw with his technique. As for his time… well, suffice to say it was impressive."

"Quite so," said the Head Captain, nodding at Itachi, "A perfect score, Itachi. Congratulations on clearing the Hohō portion of this evaluation… and on exceeding my expectations in the process."

Unohana raised an eyebrow. _That_ was high praise indeed, coming from Yamamoto. She couldn't recall the last time she had seen a student receive such a compliment from him.

Itachi bowed. "Thank you, Head Captain."

"That just leaves the Hakuda and Zanjutsu tests," said Sasakibe, "Head Captain, perhaps a small break would be in order?"

Yamamoto nodded. "That seems reasonable. Itachi, you are permitted a fifteen-minute rest period. I suggest you make the most of it; you will be pressed hard in your final two trials and you will need your full strength to prevail."

"I'll be ready, Head Captain," Itachi replied firmly.

 _Interesting_ , thought Unohana as she watched Itachi head off to the side of the training yard for a brief respite, _I wonder what the Head Captain and Lieutenant Sasakibe are planning for the last two tests. I suppose we'll find out soon enough…_

….

 _I don't understand_ , thought Soi-Fon as she looked around the training yard, _Itachi's break is almost over, but nothing's been set up for the Hakuda test. All Lieutenant Sasakibe did was put away the mats and flags from the Hohō test…_

As a member of the Stealth Force and the head of Yoruichi's personal guard, Soi-Fon was trained to spot the smallest sign of deception and subterfuge, but she could not find a hint of either here. Nothing new had been set up in the training yard, and it appeared that neither the Head Captain or his Lieutenant had any intention of bringing out targets or anything else that Itachi could demonstrate his Hakuda skills against. Soi-Fon supposed that it was possible that Yamamoto and Sasakibe had rigged something in the training yard ahead of time, but she couldn't spot any evidence that might suggest hidden devices or other mechanisms.

She glanced over at her Captain, but if Yoruichi was concerned or suspicious Soi-Fon couldn't detect any sign of it. That was typical; her commanding officer could easily conceal her true feelings whenever she felt like it, despite her usually laid-back and playful personality. Right now, Soi-Fon saw only a small smile on Yoruichi's face. Rather than anxious or suspicious, Yoruichi actually seemed to be looking forward to the next phase of the exam with no small measure of excitement.

It was the same for Captain Unohana and Minerva; neither of them betrayed any hint of apprehension. If anything, the two of them seemed almost as eager as Yoruichi appeared to get the next part of the evaluation underway. Soi-Fon could only hope that she would be able to match their level of composure one day; she was almost jealous of how all three of the women standing with her had achieved such confidence and self-control.

She took a furtive look at Itachi, who likewise did not seem to be all that concerned with what might be in store for him next. If anyone should've been nervous, Soi-Fon figured it'd be him. After all, if he failed today's test he would have to start from scratch at the Academy. However, he gave no outward sign that the consequences of potential failure were weighing on him. He was calm and centered, and he almost seemed to be meditating at the moment. How could a student appear to be as composed as two Captains and a former Lieutenant? For the life of her, Soi-Fon just could not figure that out.

She then saw the Head Captain gesture for Itachi to come forward. All eyes were on the young man as he stepped into the center of the training yard. Lieutenant Sasakibe stepped forward as well, and Soi-Fon's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen.

 _No_ , she thought, _they can't be serious…_

"Itachi Uchiha," said Yamamoto, "for the Hakuda test, you will engage in a sparring match with Lieutenant Sasakibe. I shall evaluate your performance and signal when the match is over. Is that understood?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, Head Captain."

Yoruichi smirked. "Well, now… I didn't think Sasakibe would be getting his hands dirty today."

"How interesting," said Unohana, "I haven't seen the Lieutenant fight in quite some time."

"Neither have I," said Minerva with a smile, "I hope he's not rusty."

Soi-Fon couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How is this a fair test? No matter how gifted Itachi may be, there's no way that a student can defeat a Lieutenant!"

Yoruichi put her hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Soi-Fon. The Head Captain never said that Itachi had to defeat Sasakibe."

Unohana nodded. "While I'm sure Lieutenant Sasakibe would win if it were a real fight, I imagine he'll be holding back today to allow Itachi to properly demonstrate his skills. It wouldn't be much of an evaluation otherwise."

"Indeed," said Minerva, "The goal of this evaluation is to judge Itachi's level of skill in relation to where another student in the advanced track would be at this point in their training. It would be completely unreasonable to expect any student to be able to defeat a seated officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, no matter how talented they are. The Head Captain and Lieutenant Sasakibe are both well aware of that."

Yoruichi smiled. "Remember, Soi-Fon; the Head Captain can be harsh, but he can be fair as well. He wouldn't create a test that Itachi was guaranteed to fail. That would make all the time Minerva spent training Itachi this past month a complete waste, and that's not the Head Captain's style."

Soi-Fon sighed. "I see. My apologies for my outburst, Lady Yoruichi. I should never have questioned the Head Captain's judgment."

Yoruichi giggled. "You don't need to apologize, Soi-Fon. Actually, I thought it was kind of cute how you were looking after Itachi like that! I didn't realize that he was starting to grow on you!"

Soi-Fon's face flushed red. "T-that's not it at all! I-I just wanted to make sure that he had a fair test because of how his performance would reflect on you, Lady Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi smirked. "Whatever you say, Soi-Fon."

She turned her attention back to the middle of the training yard, where Itachi and Sasakibe were facing off. The two men impassively evaluated each other as they waited for the Head Captain to give the go-ahead.

A moment later, Yamamoto raised the gnarled staff that concealed his Zanpakutō. "You will commence your match on my mark! Three… two… one… begin!"

Sasakibe made the first move. The Lieutenant surged forward and took a jab right at Itachi's head. Itachi already had his hands up in a guard position, however, and was able to block the attack. Sasakibe swiftly followed up his opening move with a series of punches, but Itachi bobbed and weaved, and the blows barely missed him.

That was when Sasakibe went low and made a sweeping kick, attempting to take Itachi's legs out from under him. Itachi was already in motion, leaping over the kick and using the opportunity to go onto the offensive. A quick sequence of jabs forced Sasakibe to backpedal, and Itachi pressed his attack. When Sasakibe grabbed his fist mid-punch, Itachi twisted free of the Lieutenant's grasp before grabbing him by the arm. For a moment it appeared that the student would be able to throw the officer, but Sasakibe was able to force Itachi to release him by aiming a high kick at his head. Itachi rolled to the side, and as he came up he was once again forced onto the defensive as Sasakibe rained punches and kicks down on him.

Soi-Fon was stunned by what she was seeing. Sure, she had witnessed a few of Itachi's Hakuda sparring matches with Minerva when Yoruichi and her had visited the Squad Four barracks, but the level of skill he was displaying now far surpassed what she had seen from him before. In fact, were he not wearing his student uniform, one might be forgiven for mistaking him as a fully trained Soul Reaper as far as Hakuda was concerned.

 _Did he really come this far in just a month_ , she thought, _or is there more to it than that? He came here from the Realms of the Living, so perhaps he had hand-to-hand combat experience when he was alive…_

Whatever the answer was, that didn't change the fact that Itachi was holding his own against a Lieutenant. Sure, Sasakibe might've been holding back for the sake of the test, but the abilities Itachi was demonstrating with regards to Hakuda were impressive nonetheless. It gave Soi-Fon further insight into why Yoruichi was so invested in his ongoing education; talent like his made him a natural candidate for Squad Two or the Stealth Force, both of which were under her Captain's command.

"He's doing very well," said Unohana, "Your instruction has served him in good stead, Minerva."

Minerva smiled. "Truth be told, all I ever did with him as far as Hakuda's concerned is spar. He was pretty fun to train in that regard."

"I bet," said Yoruichi with a smirk, "He's come a long a way since our little match all those months ago."

Soi-Fon could only look on in silence as Itachi and Sasakibe went back and forth, trading punches, kicks, attempted grapples and more. There wasn't so much as a hint of wasted movement in either fighter. Both kept their balance despite the rapid pace of the match, and they remained as calm and collected as they had been when they'd been sizing each other up before the fight had started.

It took a few moments, but eventually Soi-Fon was able to discern key aspects of Itachi's technique that set him apart from Sasakibe. While Squad One's Lieutenant remained rooted to the ground, the Academy student was more willing to engage in acrobatics if it gave him the chance to get the drop on his opponent. The occasional backflip would give him the chance to both evade an attack and regroup, while a daring leap over his foe provided a brief opportunity to attack from above or behind. Of course, Sasakibe was able to read and counter Itachi's moves, but it spoke volumes of the young man's skill that he was able to engage a veteran officer in such a manner, even if it was just a sparring match.

On and on they went, switching from offense to defense at the drop of a hat. Neither fighter showed any signs of slowing down, and Soi-Fon soon lost track of time as the match continued. Nothing outside the fight itself mattered, and she could not help but be fascinated by the display of martial prowess. Itachi's abilities in the art of Hakuda far surpassed any that she had ever seen from an Academy student before, and she could only wonder at just how strong he would be once his skills had reached full maturity.

 _Lady Yoruichi is one of the greatest Hakuda practitioners in the Soul Society_ , she thought, _Could… could that be part of why she's so interested in him? Does she believe that he could one day stand alongside her at the peak of Hakuda prowess?_

It was impossible for Soi-Fon to say for sure just what her Captain's true motives were. As much as she had gotten to know Yoruichi in the years since she had been assigned the role as head of her personal guard, Soi-Fon would freely admit that there were still aspects of her Captain that she could not fully comprehend. Her inner thoughts and whims could still be something of a mystery at times, and it made her incredibly difficult to predict. As laid-back and casual as she often appeared, when her interest was piqued she could throw herself into a mission or project with surprising dedication and passion. Perhaps that was what Itachi was to her; a project of sorts, the chance to guide and help an ideal candidate for Squad Two, to have him ready to join the division's ranks and rise swiftly when he finally graduated from the Academy.

It was as good a guess as any that Soi-Fon could come up with at the moment.

After what felt like forever but had likely been no more than ten to fifteen minutes, the Head Captain raised his staff before slamming the end down into the ground. On cue, Itachi and Sasakibe immediately halted their match and turned together to face Yamamoto. Soi-Fon could not help but lean forward as she studied the Head Captain's stern expression for the smallest hint as to what was going through his mind.

After a moment, the Head Captain nodded. "Well done, Itachi. I am satisfied with how your abilities in the art of Hakuda have progressed. Lieutenant Sasakibe, what are your thoughts?"

Soi-Fon saw the Lieutenant's brow furrow in consideration for a moment before answering. "His skills are exceptional. In fact, I daresay they are far beyond what a student at this point in his education should possess. Itachi is quite gifted, and I see no reason why he should not pass this portion of the evaluation. "

"Good," said the Head Captain, "Congratulations, Itachi."

Itachi bowed. "Thank you, Head Captain."

Yoruichi grinned. "Nice going, Itachi!"

"Splendid work," Unohana praised.

Minerva smiled. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Good job."

"I will allow you another rest period before the final trial," said Yamamoto, "You will have ten minutes, and I suggest you make the most of them. Believe me when I say that your toughest test still lies before you."

 _Toughest test?_ , thought Soi-Fon, _What could possibly be tougher for a student than a Hakuda match against a Lieutenant? All that remains is Zanjutsu… what does the Head Captain have planned?_

 _What does he have in store for Itachi?_

….

Itachi was grateful for the multiple chances the Head Captain had given him to catch his breath over the course of the evaluation. While he had not been pressed as hard as he might've been in battles past, the tests that had been thrown his way so far over the course of the day were enough to keep him on his toes. The reactions of both the Head Captain and the other onlookers boded well for how he was doing so far, but Itachi remained on guard. After all, the Head Captain could still fail him if he deemed it appropriate even though Itachi had done well on every test so far.

 _Zanjutsu is the final skill to be tested_ , he thought, _I do not know how the Head Captain intends to conduct this last examination, but if the previous ones are any indicator, passing it will require me to call upon all of the skill that I have acquired in the art of the sword._

Not for the first time since the examination had begun, Itachi found himself glancing at Yoruichi. She gave him an encouraging nod and smile, and the light of anticipation gleamed in her golden eyes. Knowing that she believed in him provided a significant boost in confidence, although he did have to wonder why _her_ approval mattered more to him than that of the others present today. Hell, she wasn't even the one that was proctoring this examination, yet Itachi found that he desired to excel more in _her_ eyes than those of the Head Captain, and it was the latter that would ultimately decide his fate!

 _ **For all your brilliance in the fighting arts, there are some areas where you really are quite dull**_ , said a familiar female voice inside his head, _**I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that chief among those areas is women.**_

 __It wasn't the first time that the spirit of his Zanpakutō had addressed Itachi while he wasn't training with her in his inner world, but he was still having a little trouble getting used to the idea that she could just drop her two cents on him at any time she pleased. He also found it surprisingly difficult to keep his outward expression from betraying to others that he was having an internal conversation, although he supposed that it was something that he would eventually grow accustomed to.

 _If you've got something to say, just come out and say it._

She laughed. _**Where's the fun in that?**_

 __He mentally sighed. A Zanpakutō was supposed to reflect the aspects of its wielder, but Itachi had a hard time coming to terms with the notion that she had inherited her level of sass from him. He could make the occasional quip should the occasion called for it, but Itachi had to wonder if he really was as snarky as the spirit of his sword was proving to be.

 _I don't have time this…_

 _ **Indeed. You'll have a far more pressing opponent than me to trade barbs with in short order.**_

 __ _What are you talking about? My final trial is one of Zanjutsu, not trading quips._

 _ **I know, and the barbs in that trial will be the points of yours and your opponent's swords.**_

 __Itachi's eyes narrowed as he carefully regarded the Head Captain. _No…_

 _ **Why not? Your Hakuda test was a match against his Lieutenant, after all. Would it not make sense for him to conduct a similar exercise for the final trial?**_

 __ _I don't believe it._

 _ **Then you're a fool.**_

 __There was a sinking sensation in the pit of Itachi's stomach as Yamamoto's stern gaze fell upon him. He _really_ didn't want the spirit of his Zanpakutō to be correct, but his gut was telling him that he wouldn't be so lucky.

 _I might be in trouble here…_

He could clearly picture the smirk on the face of the spirit of his sword. _**That may be a considerable understatement.**_

 __"Come forward, Itachi!" barked the Head Captain.

 _Here we go…_

Stepping into the center of the training yard, Itachi waited for the Head Captain to address him again. He did not have to wait long.

"Your final trial will be a test of your abilities in the art of Zanjutsu," said the Head Captain, "In my experience, there is only one way to truly comprehend the depth of someone's skill in the way of the sword, and that is to fight them!"

 _ **Best of luck**_ , said his Zanpakutō, and Itachi couldn't tell if she was being sincere or sarcastic.

"Itachi Uchiha," Yamamoto continued, "as your trial in Hakuda was to spar with my Lieutenant, I believe that it is only fitting for your trial in Zanjutsu to be a match with myself. We shall fight until I have gained a sufficient understanding of your level of skill! Is that understood?"

Itachi could only nod as he concentrated on mentally centering himself; he would need every bit of focus he could muster if he was going to pass this test. "Yes, Head Captain."

The old man then held out his staff, and the wood swiftly peeled away, revealing a Zanpakutō with a purple handle and a circular guard. The Head Captain did not unleash his Shikai, but even then Itachi could still feel the power radiating from the blade.

"Prepare yourself, Itachi!" Yamamoto commanded, "Lieutenant Sasakibe; the match begins on your mark!"

"Good luck, Itachi," said Unohana with a smile.

Yoruichi grinned. "You've got this!"

"Fight well, Itachi," said Soi-Fon.

"Show us the fruits of your training," said Minerva.

 _I seriously can't believe that I'm about to do this_ , thought Itachi, _I've never heard of an Academy student facing off against the Head Captain in a one-on-one match._

 _ **Lucky you**_ , his Zanpakutō quipped, giggling like a schoolgirl.

 _I do not find this to be funny._

 _ **Oh, really? Too bad; you'd fare better if you learned to see the humor in situations such as this.**_

 __ _That sounds more like Jiraiya than me._

 _ **Perhaps. It'll be amusing to hear his reaction once this is over.**_

Itachi saw Sasakibe raise his right arm. "Five… four… three… two… one… begin!"

Itachi barely had time to bring his sword up into a guard position before Yamamoto was on him. The Head Captain's advanced age did not appear to impact his speed in the slightest; he was fiendishly fast, and that was more than matched by the power behind his swing. It took every ounce of strength Itachi had to block the attack, and while he was sure that the Head Captain was holding back he was still astounded by the fierceness of the blow.

 _I can't keep blocking those head-on_ , he thought as he backpedaled, _I'll have to deflect and parry at angles to bleed off the force behind those attacks, otherwise I'll lose all my energy._

So he did just that, altering the tilt and direction of his sword just enough so that his subsequent efforts to fend off Yamamoto's strikes weren't straight up blocks, but instead allowed room to redirect the massive amount of power behind the attacks without Itachi's arms suffering the strain that would otherwise come with a standard block. Even then, though, that was only enough to allow him to maintain a working defense; it was not sufficient to give him the means to counterattack. There was a brutal efficiency in the Head Captain's fighting style; for all the power behind his strikes, they were still precise and controlled. No energy was wasted even as the old man hammered Itachi's defenses like a smith beating metal at a forge.

Itachi continued to fall back under the Head Captain's furious assault. Wanting to avoid getting pushed up against a wall, he made sure to slightly alter his angle as he moved, and as a result the path of the fight began to resemble a broad circle. Itachi wouldn't fool himself, though; this was only a temporary measure. It would keep him from getting cornered for now, but if Yamamoto decided to increase the pressure then it would not hold up. He had to find a way to seize the initiative, but the old man's technique presented no obvious openings. Speed and power combined with millennia of experience meant that the Head Captain was extremely effective at covering himself even while on the offensive.

 _Effective, but not invincible_ , he thought as he fended off a sequence of ferocious slashes, _There's no such thing as a perfect fighting style, no matter how experienced the wielder may be. Keep your eyes open, Itachi; there_ will _be an opening. You just have to find it._

As the duel progressed, Itachi realized that while he'd been focusing on the Head Captain's swordplay, he hadn't even bothered to examine the footwork that went with it. Sure enough, Yamamoto was well-balanced, firmly rooted but still capable of maintaining incredible mobility. After a few moments, though, Itachi began to comprehend that the key to him perhaps finally getting in a solid attack of his own in this fight lay with the Head Captain's footwork rather than swordplay. The way his legs would brace or shift were subtle signs of what was coming, and although the timing would be incredibly tricky Itachi was slowly beginning to understand how he might be able to exploit that fact.

Continuing to hold the line, so to speak, Itachi patiently waited for the exact moment that he would be able to go onto the offensive. As Yamamoto unleashed a ruthless barrage of overhand blows meant to hammer him into submission, Itachi remained mindful of the Head Captain's legs and feet even as he desperately deflected the old man's attacks. Finally, in the briefest moment in the transition from the final overhand strike to a thrust, Itachi found what he had been looking for.

There was just the tiniest shift in balance, the smallest possible window, but Itachi threw caution to the wind and went for it. As Yamamoto thrust forward with his blade, Itachi bent his sword just enough to allow him to redirect the strike and slide beneath the Head Captain's Zanpakutō. He then lashed out with a horizontal strike, forcing Yamamoto to step back to dodge the attack.

 _Here we go._

Itachi was well aware that this might be the only chance he'd get this fight to go on the offensive, so he went all in. Surging forward, he unleashed a lightning-fast sequence of slashes and cuts, varying the trajectory of each one in order to keep his opponent guessing. The Head Captain's defense was steady, but Itachi was still able to keep him on the backfoot. Of course, Itachi wasn't about to let that go to his head; if Yamamoto weren't holding back for the sake of the test, he had no doubt that the old man could've killed him several times over by now.

He feinted towards the Head Captain's legs, launching a flurry of swift thrusts before suddenly altering his target. His blade swiftly went upward, missing Yamamoto's chest by the slimmest of margins. Itachi could've sworn he saw the old man's eyes widen ever so slightly, but it was only for a moment. Then the Head Captain stepped forward, and with a single swing he batted Itachi's blade aside before flipping his sword around and bringing the edge to Itachi's throat.

Itachi sighed as he lowered his blade. "I suppose that's the match."

Yamamoto nodded as he withdrew his sword. The weapon quickly returned to its wooden staff façade, and all Itachi could do was wait for the verdict as he sheathed his Zanpakutō.

There was a long moment of silence before the Head Captain gave him a nod of approval. "Congratulations, Itachi. Your swordsmanship was exemplary for a student. You have passed your final test!"

Itachi allowed himself a small smile. "Thank you, Head Captain."

Yoruichi came forward, smiling as she gave Itachi a pat on the back. "Good work, Itachi!"

"That was very well done," said Soi-Fon.

"Your technique was superb," said Unohana, "Lasting as long as you did was no small feat."

Minerva smiled. "You've come a long way since we first started our lessons together, Itachi. The Zanjutsu instructors at the Academy won't know what to do with you when you get back; I doubt they'd have anything more to teach you at this point."

Even Lieutenant Sasakibe got in on the praise. "That was a marvelous performance, young man. I believe you have a bright future ahead of you."

Itachi was surprised to hear a faint chuckle come from the Head Captain. "Indeed. You show great promise, Itachi. It is clear that you trained very hard over the past month. Miss Rawlins, you have done a fine job with your student. You should be proud of him."

Minerva nodded. "Oh, I am, Head Captain. I haven't had a student as talented as him since Lady Yoruichi was under my wing."

Yoruichi grinned. "Ah, those were good times. Thanks again for helping him out, Minerva. I owe you one."

Minerva bowed. "Nonsense, Lady Yoruichi. It was an honor to train Itachi on your behalf, and I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"So," said Itachi, "what happens now? Am I to return to the Academy immediately?"

"Tomorrow morning," answered the Head Captain, "I shall inform your instructors that you shall be rejoining their classes. I'm sure that they'll be pleased to have you amongst the student body again. However, do not let yourself become complacent; you have demonstrated considerable skill today, and your triumph over these trials means that we shall all be expecting great things of you going forward."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. I will not let you down."

Yamamoto's brow furrowed in thought. "Where your path will take you from here… I must admit, it shall be most intriguing to watch you move forward. I believe I am beginning to understand why Captain Shihōin has taken such a keen interest in you. If your skills are properly nurtured and brought to their full potential, then you will have much to offer the Soul Society."

"Word will spread about what happened here today," said Lieutenant Sasakibe, "Officers across the Thirteen Court Guard Squads will take notice of you, if they have not already. There will be many eyes observing your education with great interest."

Minerva smirked. "And they'll want a say in your career path on graduation day. If you continue to study and train as hard as you did to reach this point, then you may find yourself to be a little too popular for your own good when the time comes for you to join the active duty ranks of Soul Reapers."

Yoruichi smiled as she playfully elbowed Itachi. "Don't forget who's already got dibs on you, Itachi! Squad Two will be calling your name on graduation day!"

"That would certainly be a viable career path," said Unohana, "However, that will ultimately be your decision, Itachi."

"When the time comes," Soi-Fon chimed in, "choose the division that you think fits you best. Of course, I would certainly welcome you as a comrade-in-arms should you join Squad Two."

Yoruichi smirked. "You hear that, Itachi? Soi-Fon likes you, too! You'll have another friend already lined up when the time comes for me to give you a tour of the Squad Two barracks."

Minerva chuckled. "Yes, that's one way to sell him on joining up."

 _ **Looks like someone's dying to get you into her unit**_ , said his Zanpakutō, _**She doesn't really have to sell you on anything, though; Squad Two's the only post-graduation destination you have in mind. Don't even try to deny it.**_

 __ _I wasn't going to._

Unohana put a hand on his shoulder. "Come, Itachi. You performed well in the tests, and I don't see any sign of injury, but I do wish to run a quick examination just to be safe."

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then."

The Head Captain nodded. "Sasakibe and I must return to the Squad One barracks. Farewell, Itachi Uchiha. I suspect we shall meet again sooner or later."

"Soi-Fon and I should probably run along, too," said Yoruichi, "We've been away from Squad Two for long enough as it is."

"There _is_ a considerable amount of paperwork piling up," Soi-Fon pointed out.

Yoruichi groaned. "Ugh, don't remind me. I am _not_ looking forward to that."

Unohana giggled. "Some things never change."

"I suppose it's time for me to return to the Shihōin family mansion, then," said Minerva, "It's been a pleasure, Itachi. I hope this won't be the last time that I get the chance to work with you."

Itachi bowed. "Thank you for all that you've done for me. I won't forget it."

Yoruichi smiled. "See you around, Itachi! I can't wait to see what you're capable of the next time we meet!"

 **Author's Notes:** A quick word on the Head Captain's Zanpakutō. Yes, I'm well aware that the staff form is normally its sealed state and that the staff disappears when Yamamoto's about to unleash his Shikai. I decided to alter things a bit by giving the Head Captain the ability to shift his Zanpakutō from staff to sword form while still keeping the weapon sealed and not unleashing his Shikai.

Class is back in session for Itachi in the next chapter, and that's not all; I'll be introducing Jiraiya's Zanpakutō spirit as well. Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Notes:** Okay, time to get another chapter out there. Not much to say right now since I don't want to spoil what lies ahead.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Eight: Konsō**

 **147 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town**

He sat in the middle of a broad and circular stone. The stone was itself in the middle of a pond, and there were four paths of smaller stepping stones that led to this large one, all of them coming together to form an X-shape. A thin layer of mist permeated the area, while the sky above was overcast and gave every appearance of impending rainfall. Reeds popped up sporadically from the pond, and the croaking of frogs and toads provided a rather soothing ambiance to this mystical realm.

 _I suppose such a place is rather fitting for my inner world_ , Jiraiya mused with a smirk, _although I'd much rather prefer a bathhouse… and for the spirit of my Zanpakutō to be a woman as curvy and lovely as Tsunade. Oh, well. We play with the cards that fate deals us and try to make the most of them._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō may not have been a beautiful woman, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a fascinating being. Jiraiya hadn't known what to expect when his Zanpakutō had awakened about a year ago, yet the figure that stood before him now wasn't as alien to him as he thought it might be. It might not have been human, but there was a certain familiarity to it.

The figure that sat across from him was a large crimson toad. Broad and strong, with a stern edge in its fierce yellow eyes, it was at least twice as tall as the average human, and it was clad head to foot in red and white samurai armor. Slung across its back was a thick steel club lined with rows of spikes, and Jiraiya could testify firsthand to how much those buggers hurt when they dug into his skin.

Jiraiya stood up and drew his sword. His Zanpakutō's outward appearance hadn't changed all that much since it had awakened. The blade remained the same length, and the guard was still circular as well, but the handle-wrapping had turned red, and the guard was now white. He still hadn't learned his Zanpakutō's name, but he didn't feel bad about that; Itachi still hadn't learned the name of _his_ Zanpakutō, after all, and the spirit of his sword had awoken years before Jiraiya's had.

"All right," he said as he loosened up his shoulders, "You ready for another go at it?"

The toad-warrior across from him stood up and nodded as it brandished its sinister club. "Of course."

Jiraiya smirked. "In that case, let's have at it!"

He rushed forward and thrust out his blade, but his amphibian opponent easily swatted the sword aside with the club. Then the toad charged forward, nailing Jiraiya with its armored shoulder and sending him sprawling backwards. The Legendary Sannin was quick to recover, though; in an instant he was back on his feet and charging right back into the fight. This time he leapt over his opponent, and as he came down behind the toad he lashed out with his sword. The toad whirled around and made a broad swing with his club, but Jiraiya ducked beneath the strike and swiftly countered. His blade made contact with his opponent, but it simply slid along the armor and did no visible damage.

Jiraiya chuckled as he backflipped to dodge his foe's return strike. "You're lucky you've got that plating on you. That could've left an ugly wound otherwise."

"The victor in a battle is the last one standing," his adversary replied as he made a series of powerful swings with his spiked club, "You know this better than most. I may be slower than you, but my armor makes me tougher."

Jiraiya smiled as he ducked and weaved to avoid getting hit. "Good. It'd be no fun if the spirit of my Zanpakutō was a pushover!"

The toad-warrior gave him a confident smirk. "Indeed."

Jiraiya rolled to the side to dodge a particularly vicious overhand strike before thrusting forward. Once again, his sword glanced off the toad's armor, but Jiraiya had been expecting that. He let his momentum continue to carry him forward and lunged for the toad's legs, trying to tackle his opponent. Unfortunately, the toad simply leapt into the air, and Jiraiya was forced to scramble backwards to avoid getting crushed by the armored amphibian as it came back down.

"Phew," said Jiraiya as he brought his sword up, "That was close!"

"Do not rest easy just yet!" the toad-warrior roared as he lunged at him.

Jiraiya sidestepped as his opponent brought his spiked club down hard. Bits of rock flew up from where the weapon had hit the stone they were fighting on, and Jiraiya got a few small cuts for his trouble. It wasn't anything serious, though, and he wasted no time in his counterattack. He surged forward, bringing his sword up and swinging at the toad-warrior's exposed chin. Unfortunately, his foe responded by planting an armored boot right in his gut, kicking Jiraiya right off the central stone and into the pond.

Coughing up water as he tried to catch his breath, Jiraiya scrambled back onto the large stone. "Man… that one really knocked the wind out of me! You've got a mean kick, you know that?"

"Armor serves for more than just defense," the toad-warrior replied, "It can amplify the impact behind our hand-to-hand blows. You should be well aware of this."

"Believe me, I am," Jiraiya groaned as he rubbed his stomach, "So… one more?"

The toad-warrior shook his head as he put his club away. "That is enough for now."

Jiraiya chuckled as he sheathed his sword. "That's a shame. I was enjoying myself there."

The armored toad smirked. "Indeed. If nothing else, you have proven yourself to be a spirited fighter. It makes me all the more regretful of the fact that you cannot yet hear my name; I am most eager to see what you can do with my power."

"Well, you're the one who told me to give it time, right?" Jiraiya pointed out, "It'll happen when it happens. It's best to just go with the flow in matters such as this."

The toad nodded. "Quite so. You are surprisingly wise, considering you are the purveyor of such juvenile novels."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "Hey, I'll have you know that my novels are top sellers! I've already published three installments of the _Lovers' Strategies_ series since I came to the Soul Society, and I'm well on my way to getting number four out there. I'm a real hit in the literary circles of the Seireitei!"

"Then cease your training and become a full-time novelist if you are so proud of peddling adolescent romance tales," huffed the toad.

Jiraiya grinned. "There's no reason why I can't do both. I'm a man of many talents, after all!"

The toad scowled. "You should devote yourself completely to your training. Such frivolous distractions will impede your journey to unlock your full potential."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You know, I always heard that the spirits of our Zanpakutō are supposed to reflect aspects of ourselves, but I gotta say, you're not sounding a whole lot like me right now."

"Not as you may see yourself, perhaps," the toad replied, "but my role in this realm is to be a taskmaster, something that you have knowledge of. I do not have to go about it in the same way as you did with training your students, though; I may reflect aspects of you, but I am most certainly _not_ you."

Jiraiya chuckled. "On that, we agree. Still, I'll do this my way. Seeing as how you were born from me, you really should've seen that coming."

The toad sighed. "I suppose so. We will continue this at another time, though; you have spent enough of your morning here, I think."

Jiraiya nodded as his eyes slowly began to widen. "Yeah. Come to think of it… I'm probably running late, actually! Crap, class is gonna start any minute now, if it hasn't already! Itachi's never gonna let me hear the end of it if I'm late again!"

….

Itachi suppressed a smirk as Jiraiya sat down next to him. "In by the skin of your cheeks. You're cutting it close today, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Morning Jinzen ran a little longer than normal. It's easy to lose track of time in there."

Itachi certainly couldn't argue with that sentiment; he knew from firsthand experience how time seemed to lose meaning when he was training with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. "How did it go?"

"I'll be sore for a little while," Jiraiya replied as he rubbed his stomach, "Whatever that armored toad's name is, his kicks pack a real wallop."

 _Neither of our Zanpakutō seem to be the types that believe in gradually easing into our training_ , Itachi mused as he recalled his most recent sparring sessions with the female spirit of his blade, _Their modus operandi seems to be to beat our lessons into us… quite literally. Then again, I can't argue with their effectiveness…_

Everyone in the Academy knew that Itachi and Jiraiya had awakened their Zanpakutō, but many of them didn't seem to truly realize the full implications of that. Now in their third year of training to become Soul Reapers, the two former Shinobi were actually taking lessons from not only the same instructors as the rest of their classmates, but from the spirits of their swords as well. As a result, their growth as students had accelerated exponentially. Such rapid success and development had naturally made them the talk of the Academy, and while some were in awe of their abilities, others were envious. It was to be expected, and while Jiraiya seemed to roll with it well enough, Itachi wasn't exactly a fan of the extra scrutiny.

 _ **You don't mind it when said scrutiny comes from Yoruichi, though, don't you?**_

 _What are you getting at?_

Itachi could picture the spirit of his Zanpakutō shaking her head in both amusement and ridicule. _**I swear, you truly are hopeless when it comes to women…**_

The best course of action when she got like this was to ignore her, so that's exactly what Itachi did. He didn't have time to be trading verbal barbs with his Zanpakutō today; there were much more important items on the agenda.

"It's a good thing that you made it in on time today," he told Jiraiya, "Our instructor would be rather upset if you missed our live Konsō exercise."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Wait, that's today? Man, I forgot all about that!"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

It was at that moment that the instructor walked into the classroom. Much to Itachi's surprise, he wasn't alone; in fact, he had none other than Yoruichi and Soi-Fon with him.

Jiraiya grinned and nudged Itachi with his elbow. "Well, well... look who's here to see you!"

"You don't know that's what she's here for," Itachi replied a bit too forcefully.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Maybe, but don't lie to me; you're happy to see her."

That he was, although he wouldn't give Jiraiya the satisfaction of openly admitting it. It had been quite some time since Itachi had last seen Yoruichi, so any chance he had to meet her again was a most welcome one. He knew that as much as she was interested in the progression of his training, her duties as the Captain of Squad Two came first, so it was only natural that those responsibilities preclude her from visiting often. As pleased as Itachi was to see her again, though, he _did_ have to wonder why she was here. It probably wasn't hard for someone in her position to find out about their scheduled field trip to one of the Realms of the Living for the live Konsō exercise, but was that really something a Captain would take an interest in?

He got his answer a moment later when the instructor addressed the class. "Good morning, students. As I'm sure you're all well aware, today is our class's big excursion to the Realm of the Living known as Terra. In preparation for our Konsō exercise, I asked Captain Shihōin if the Second Division would perform some advanced reconnaissance in order for us to find a suitable site with plenty of souls for you all to practice on. I am pleased to announce that she has found just such a location!"

 _Of course_ , Itachi realized, _Squad Two members commonly act as advanced scouts in field operations in addition to handling more traditional front-line roles. Yoruichi's division would be a natural for helping us find an ideal location for the Konsō exercise._

Yoruichi stepped forward. "Good morning, everyone. My bodyguard and I just returned from Terra; my Third Seat is there with a team securing the site. The place we'll be taking you to was the site of a recent battle, so it's not going to be pleasant. Most of the Hollows that are drawn to such large-scale engagements have already been exterminated, but there may be a few still wandering the area. That's why Squad Two will be there in force while you're conducting your Konsō exercise. Focus only on completing your task and making sure that the souls of the fallen pass on, and we'll keep the Hollows off your back."

"While we're down there, you are to follow the orders that any member of Squad Two gives you," said Soi-Fon, "We all have plenty of field experience, so trust that we know what's best for your safety in such a situation."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "We may be protecting you down there, but you still need to keep your guard up. Battlefields, even ones where the fighting's recently ceased, can be confusing and disorienting places. There is always the possibility of Hollows using the debris or piles of corpses for concealment, so tread cautiously. If you see anything suspicious, call out to one of us immediately."

The instructor came forward to address the class. "You are all students of the advanced track, which is why such a location has been chosen for your Konsō exercise. It is more dangerous than what students in the normal track would be assigned to, but that is because our expectations of you are higher and we have confidence in your abilities. Remember your training, be mindful of the instructions of Captain Shihōin and her subordinates, and I have no doubt that you will succeed in your task!"

Yoruichi smiled, and Itachi felt his heartbeat increase ever so slightly as she locked eyes with him. "Well, you heard the man. Let's get to it!"

….

 _I've seen my share of battlefields_ , thought Itachi as he surveyed the carnage and ruin, _but this… this feels more like the floor of a charnel-house. Did all of these men really have to die here?_

According to what Yoruichi had told the students on the way here, the battle that had just concluded had been fought between the forces of no less than four empires; the British, French and Ottoman Empires against the Russian Empire. None of these were nations that Itachi was familiar with, but that was hardly a surprise. After all, this was the first time that he and Jiraiya had been to the Realm of the Living known as Terra.

The battle had taken place just south of a river, and from what Itachi had learned, it had involved a total of over 90,000 men. Yoruichi had not told them who had won, and from the perspective of Soul Reapers that was really irrelevant. Their purpose was to contend with the aftermath of such a battle and guide all the lost souls that resulted from such bloody and tragic engagements onward to the Soul Society.

Next to him, he saw Jiraiya shaking his head as he looked at a group of corpses. "What a waste…"

Itachi nodded solemnly. "Agreed."

Strange uniforms clad the twisted and mangled bodies, while cold and dead hands tightly clutched strange weapons, but a battlefield was still a battlefield, and even if this one had more mangled and rotting cadavers lying about than many that Itachi had been to in his time, it was still the type of scene that he was used to and thus could maintain his composure. The same went for Jiraiya; while the Legendary Sannin might lament that so many men had met their cruel ends in a place like this, Itachi knew that the former student of the Third Hokage remained alert and ready for anything that they might face here today.

Unfortunately, the same could _not_ be said for most of their fellow classmates. While life in the Soul Society prior to entering the Academy and the Seireitei in general wasn't exactly a picnic, it quickly became clear to Itachi that his fellow students had never experienced so much carnage and death in one place before. Even though the battle itself was over, there was still plenty of horror to be found in the aftermath. The stench of decay and rot could be overwhelming to one who was not accustomed to it, and Itachi could already spot more than a few queasy-looking students.

"By the Soul King…" he heard one mutter.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," groaned another.

"Why did they do this?" asked a third who sounded close to tears, "Why did they all have to kill each other like this? What… what was the point?"

"When empires play their games, their rulers don't care about the pieces that are consumed on the board," said Yoruichi grimly as she stepped forward, "The lives of their subjects mean little to them, save for what ground they can gain on the battlefield before they're cut down. Believe me, you will see _plenty_ of this once you become a Soul Reaper. That is why we're bringing you here now; you are students of the advanced track, so it's better if you come to terms with the true nature of our work sooner rather than later."

"Never forget this," said Soi-Fon, giving the assembled students a cold glare, "The foundation of the role that Soul Reapers play is death. We may guide souls onward and protect them from Hollows, but the fundamental truth is that our sacred duties exist in the first place because everyone, whether high-born or low, is doomed to die."

Yoruichi nodded. "Many lives end peacefully enough, and in those cases the hands of Soul Reapers are normally not needed to bring the spirits of the dead home to the Soul Society. However, all too often, lives are cut short through violence, plague, nature's wrath, and more. It is much harder for a soul to pass on to the Soul Society on their own under such circumstances. The suddenness of death, the sheer sense of randomness and the purely arbitrary nature inherent in the demise, can shock the soul and cause it to lose its way. They wander the Realms of the Living in despair, cursing their fates… and eventually cursing all who are with them. That is why we must find them before they become Hollows in the anguish, or before a Hollow is drawn to their despair and feeds upon them."

"And we need to do it quickly," a new voice rang out, "We've got a lot of souls to attend to today!"

Itachi and Jiraiya turned around to see a tall and lean Soul Reaper approaching them. His complexion was a little on the pale side, and his messy light blond hair only served to accentuate that attribute. That was sharply contrasted, however, by his grey eyes, which had an edge to them that Itachi couldn't quite determine the true nature of. Was it simply the seriousness that came with where they currently found themselves, or was there more to it? That being said, he did seem to be relatively at ease with their present location, or at least didn't seem to be overly bothered by the fact that one couldn't take two steps without kicking a corpse. The Zanpakutō at his side had black hilt-wrapping and an oval-shaped tsuba with a snowflake designed embedded upon it, and from the way his hand hovered almost casually over the weapon's handle Itachi guessed that he was quite proficient with it.

The man seemed to take in the group of students at a glance, but his gaze lingered on Itachi and Jiraiya. He was clearly evaluating them, although to what end Itachi couldn't say. After a moment the man shrugged and smiled as he came up to Yoruichi.

"So, is this everyone?" he asked, "They should be enough, but we've got a lot of ground to cover."

Yoruichi nodded. "Indeed. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Kisuke Urahara, my Third Seat. He's also the Corps Commander of the Detention Unit, so if any of you boys and girls get on the wrong side of the law within the Seireitei, he'll probably end up paying you a visit… and you won't like it."

Several of the assembled students looked at Kisuke nervously. The class as a whole seemed even more on edge now that it had been before, so Yoruichi suddenly grinning and patting Kisuke on the back had a rather jarring effect on them.

"Come on, guys, lighten up!" she said, "Relax, Kisuke's a good guy! He's an old friend of mine, and he's pretty fun to hang out with off duty! He'll be helping me watch over you all today. Trust me, you're in good hands."

Kisuke smiled. "It's nice to meet all of you. Sorry it had to be under these particular circumstances, but you can't ask for a better place for a large-scale Konsō exercise than a fresh battlefield. The best part is that by the time you're done here, you'll be used to the smell of rotting corpses!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "This one's a real card, isn't he?"

"That's one way to put it," Itachi muttered.

"Before we get started, we need to know as much about what we're dealing with here as possible," said Yoruichi, folding her arms as her expression became serious, "Kisuke, what's on our plate today? Do you have a casualty figure for me yet?"

"Total? Best guess is about nine thousand," Kisuke replied, "They're scattered about the area, but it won't be too hard to find them. When we got here, we caught several Hollows munching on them, but we cleared them out quickly enough. There are plenty of souls left for everyone to get multiple opportunities for Konsō practice as long as they're willing to put in some legwork."

Yoruichi nodded. "Good. We'll get everyone split up into groups and under the supervision of active duty Soul Reapers. After that, we'll start tracking the souls down."

"We need to stay sharp," said Kisuke, "I've already caught one Hollow today hiding under corpses trying to ambush us, and there could be a few more still out there. I've got people sweeping the area to make sure we're secure, but we can't be too careful."

"Agreed," said Yoruichi as she turned back to the students, "All right, boys and girls, you heard him! This isn't a fun day-trip to the market; the battle may be over, but danger could still be lurking just out of sight. Stay on your toes and listen to whatever the Soul Reaper assigned to your group tells you, and you'll make it through today in one piece. Let's get to work!"

….

"So," said Kisuke with a smile, "are you two ready to do this?"

Jiraiya nodded. "You bet."

"Let's get going," said Itachi.

As the two top students in the advanced track, Itachi and Jiraiya had been assigned to a 'group' that was actually just the two of them with Yoruichi's Third Seat acting as their escort. Itachi had been slightly disappointed that the Captain of Squad Two herself wasn't taking that role instead, but he supposed that there was only so much favor that she could show him before drawing unwanted attention.

As the three of them began their walk through the field of rotting corpses and broken weapons, Itachi kept one eye on his surroundings and the other on Kisuke. He was surprised that the head of the Detention Unit was participating in a field operation when his official responsibility was supposed to be managing prisoners. Then again, Yoruichi wouldn't have given him this assignment without good reason.

 _She must be confident in his abilities_ , he thought, _I wonder what he's capable of…_

"I've heard quite a bit about the two of you," said Kisuke, "Especially you, Itachi. It's rare for Yoruichi to pay special attention to a student, but you seem to have caught her eye."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You're on a first-name basis with her?"

Kisuke nodded. "Yup. Didn't you hear her earlier? We're old friends. Besides, she's never really been one for formalities if she can avoid them."

"So we've noticed," Jiraiya replied, "Sounds like you're the same way."

Kisuke smiled. "That's right. Hope that doesn't bother the two of you."

Itachi shrugged. "Not particularly."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed as he once again studied Itachi. "I gotta say, I'm looking forward to seeing what you're capable of. It's not every day that Yoruichi decides to spar with a student, after all. You must really have some potential."

"I'll show you what I can do soon enough," said Itachi.

Kisuke then gestured to Itachi and Jiraiya's Zanpakutō. "By the way, how are things coming along with your swords? It's almost unheard of for students to awaken the spirits of their Zanpakutō so early."

"Well, we can both access our inner worlds easily enough," said Jiraiya, "Learning their names, on the other hand… well, that's not going so well."

"Neither of us can hear them when they say their names," Itachi admitted, "Lip-reading doesn't work either; there's some kind of distortion around their mouths that prevents it from being effective."

Kisuke nodded. "I know what that's like. Feels like a lifetime ago, but I was in your shoes once. Just keep at it and give it time. Based on how quickly the two of you have progressed so far, I imagine you two will unlock your Shikai far quicker than most Soul Reapers do. You'll have to let me know once you pull it off. It'll be fun to see what happens when that day comes."

 _Indeed_ , thought Itachi, _but on the day that I unlock my Shikai, the first person I want to bear witness to it is Yoruichi._

 _ **Why am I not surprised?**_

 _She deserves to see it. It'll be a sign that the faith she has put in me has been rewarded._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō chuckled. _**You can't lie to me, Itachi. You're just looking forward to a chance to show off your skills to her. There's nothing wrong with that, mind you, but it'd be nice if you'd be just a little more honest with yourself.**_

 _I don't have time for this._

 _ **Indeed. It would seem that you have more pressing matters to attend to.**_

Looking ahead, Itachi saw that she was quite right. There was a soldier wearing a red jacket wandering aimlessly, and from how Itachi could see through him he could tell that it was a soul. Of course, the severed Chain of Fate coming out of their chest was a pretty big hint, too.

"That didn't take long," said Jiraiya.

"Your first catch of the day, so to speak," said Kisuke with a smirk, "So, who wants this one?"

Itachi stepped forward. "I'll handle it."

It took a moment for the soul of the dead soldier to notice Itachi's approach. The man froze in shock for a moment when he saw the Soul Reaper-in-training coming towards him before stumbling backwards, his legs quaking in terror.

"What the bloody hell are you?" the man cried out, "What manner of ghost has come to haunt me? Stay back, devil!"

Itachi shook his head in remorse. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that you're the ghost, not I. This is no longer your world; it is time for you to move on to the next one."

"Y-you're wrong!" the soldier stammered, "I-I'm not dead! I… I…"

Itachi sighed. "You must move past this denial. Look down at your chest; the Chain of Fate is proof enough that your mortal flesh has failed you. I know that this is hard to hear, but you are one of the dead, now."

The soul sank to his knees in despair. "No… I… I can't be… _dead_. I… I have a wife… a daughter and a son… they need me! I cannot leave them! Oh, why did fate curse me and drag me off to this damnable war? This is all wrong!"

Itachi knelt next to the soul and put his hand on his shoulder. "For what little it's worth, I agree with you completely. War is the very worst of mankind's curses, and one that it inflicts upon itself all too frequently. All men must die, but they should not be torn from life so cruelly as you and the others who fell on this battlefield have been."

The soul of the soldier began to openly weep. "Sarah, my love… I'm so sorry. I've abandoned you and our children… I've failed our family! Michael… Irene… I must return to them!"

The man then looked up at Itachi, a frantic and desperate light in his eyes. "Please, you must let me see them one last time! I… I just want to tell them that I love them! You… you're some sort of angel, aren't you? You must have the power to grant me this last request!"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm afraid I am no angel, nor do I have the power to grant your final request, regardless of how much I may sympathize with it. Your time in the world that they live in is over, now… but that does not necessarily mean that you will be parted from them forever."

"What do you mean?" asked the soldier, his voice cracking with fear and despair.

"I am a Soul Reaper," said Itachi, "It is my duty to help those who are no longer among the living pass on to the Soul Society; the realm of departed souls. Someday… and may it be long in the future, after your wife and children have lived full and healthy lives… you may meet them there."

" _May_?" the man croaked, "I _may_ meet them there one day? Should it not be guaranteed? Is that not the promise of Heaven, that all who have loved ones in this life should eventually be reunited with them in the next?"

"The Soul Society is vast beyond your comprehension," Itachi replied solemnly, "I'm afraid it may be quite different from the 'Heaven' of the faith you held in life. That is why I will not make a promise that I cannot guarantee will be kept. Even when the rest of your family passes on to the Soul Society, it may be a long time indeed before they are finally reunited with you."

The soldier closed his eyes. "Then they are truly lost to me forever."

Itachi shook his head. "That is not for certain. What _is_ certain, though, is that if you remain in this world, you will eventually become a threat to all others in it… including your family."

The soul's face paled. "How? I do not understand?"

"Surely you saw them, no?" Itachi asked, "Beasts with white masks that roamed the battlefield after you fell?"

The soul nodded nervously. "Yes… demons unlike any I believed existed. I ran and hid while… while they devoured others. It was terrifying!"

Itachi nodded. "I'm sure it was. If you do not pass on now, it will be your fate to either be devoured like those others… or worse. The longer you linger in this world, the greater the chance you will have of truly succumbing to anger and despair at your fate. When that happens… you will become one of them."

The soul shook his head. "No… that… that cannot be right!"

"I know it's hard to believe," said Itachi grimly, "but it is the truth. Those beasts are called Hollows, and they are born from souls who remain in the Realm of the Living for too long after they have died. Regret and sorrow from your demise will eventually turn you into one of them, and then all that will be left is your desire to feast upon the souls of others… including your family."

The soul's eyes widened in horror. "No… by the Lord Almighty, _no!_ "

"If you do not pass on to the Soul Society now, that _will_ be your fate," said Itachi, "You must believe me. Surely, you do not wish to become a threat to those that you hold dear."

The soul shook his head, resignation finally sinking in. "No… I do not. Very well, then… let's get on with this."

Itachi drew his Zanpakutō, causing the man to jump in fright. In order to reassure the soul, Itachi lowered and then redirected the blade so that only the bottom of the hilt was facing the soul.

"Don't be afraid," he said, "Death is not the end. Far from it; it is only the beginning. One life has ended, but another is about to begin. Trust me; I've been down that road myself… and I still walk it today."

The soul looked surprised. "Wait a moment… do you mean…"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. I died, and when I was reborn into the Soul Society I was given the chance to start anew. I chose the calling of the Soul Reaper, to help bring souls like yours through to the other side so that you may begin the same journey as I did. Who can say where your path in the Soul Society will take you? If you have courage, strength… and a little something extra… you may find the life of a Soul Reaper calling for you. My role is only to set you on the path; once you arrive in the Soul Society, where your journey takes you is your decision."

He then tapped the hilt of his Zanpakutō against the soul's forehead. "Ride the wheel and be reborn anew. Farewell."

A brilliant blue light engulfed the soul before it dissolved into a stream of tiny flakes of energy. As the fallen soldier passed on into the next life, Itachi heard his voice on the wind.

" _Thank you…_ "

He was a bit surprised to hear clapping behind him; he'd gotten so wrapped up in helping the soul of the fallen soldier find peace that he'd completely forgotten about Jiraiya and Kisuke. Both men were smiling when he turned around, the light of approval clear in their eyes.

"Well done," said Kisuke, "As far as beginners are concerned, that was about as good as you could get. That little benediction at the end was a nice touch."

Jiraiya nodded. "Do you mind if I steal that one? I think it's as good a sendoff to give a soul as any other."

"Do as you will," Itachi replied.

"You'll get a chance for it soon enough, Jiraiya" said Kisuke, "Let's get a move on. There are plenty of souls left here that need to be put to rest, and it's our job to find them all and send them on their way."

….

"Excellent work, Jiraiya," said Kisuke with a smile as the student completed the Konsō.

The Legendary Sannin nodded as the soul he'd just attended to vanished into a stream of brilliant blue-white light. "Thanks. That was surprisingly more satisfying than I imagined it would be."

"I know what you mean," said Itachi, "It may be one soul at a time for us, but it really does feel like we're making a difference with helping these fallen soldiers find rest."

"Well, for every one of them that we send along their way, that's one less Hollow for us to deal with," Kisuke replied, "Most students and fresh Soul Reapers tend to view Hollow slaying as our greatest purpose, but that's a rather short-sighted view. It's true that Hollows are a menace, but the reason they're created in the first place is because people have died with regrets and can't find their way to the Soul Society on their own. By being proactive in seeking out those souls and performing the Konsō, we not only protect those souls from Hollow attacks and keep them from becoming Hollows themselves, but we also indirectly protect our fellow Soul Reapers by making sure that they won't have as many Hollows to face in the future."

"There are far too many as it is," said Jiraiya grimly, "That's the impression I've gotten from our education so far, anyway."

Itachi nodded. "Indeed. Having a realm like Hueco Mundo to retreat to doesn't help matters."

Kisuke sighed. "Ah, yes; the Hollow World. The home of our enemies, and yet it's always been beyond our reach. It's sad to say that the same is not true the other way around… as the two of you found out the hard way."

Jiraiya chuckled; the memory of that fateful Hollow attack three years ago was never far from his mind. "You've got that right."

"Is Hueco Mundo truly beyond us?" asked Itachi as Kisuke continued to lead him and Jiraiya in search of more souls, "I have a hard time believing that no one's ever tried to create some means to get there."

Kisuke smiled. "Well, the only way we know for sure to get there is through a Garganta, which is something that only Hollows can create. That being said, there's no law stating that things have to _stay_ that way."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Studying Kidō theory is one of my many, many hobbies," said Kisuke, "and I've always wondered if it might be possible to use Kidō to replicate a Garganta."

Itachi's eyes widened. "Is that really within the realm of Kidō?"

Kisuke smirked. "Hypothetically, yes. Shin'ō Academy really just scratches the surface as far as your Kidō instruction is concerned. The spellcasting arts are really far more versatile than your classes let on. Kidō's got potential applications beyond blasting Hollows, putting up barriers, and healing people. Once you study it in-depth and come to a deeper understanding of its true nature, you realize that it could become a key to a multitude of problems if harnessed and manipulated in the appropriate manner."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "I didn't realize that such in-depth study of Kidō was required of the head of the Detention Unit."

Kisuke laughed. "Normally it's not, but you'll find that I'm more than just a glorified jailkeeper! Yoruichi knows that far better than most."

"If your interests lie in Kidō, then why serve as the Corps Commander of the Detention Unit?" asked Itachi, "If you and Yoruichi are old friends, then surely she'd be willing to give you a post that would better suit your abilities."

Kisuke smiled. "She would, but it turns out I'm pretty good at my current job, too. To be the head of the Detention Unit, one has to be highly skilled in both Hohō and Hakuda. Not that I'm trying to brag here, but I daresay I've got talent in those areas. Besides, this role and the rank of Third Seat are about more than just putting me in charge of watching over prisoners."

"What do you mean?" asked Jiraiya.

"Normally I wouldn't discuss stuff like this with students," said Kisuke, "but Yoruichi likes the two of you, and at the rate you're going you'll be joining our ranks soon enough, so I figure she won't mind if I start filling you in now. Long story short, she doesn't think too highly of Squad Two's Lieutenant, so she wants people she knows she can trust in positions of authority. Being Third Seat gives me considerable influence in the division and makes it easier for me to help her implement her policies."

Itachi's brow furrowed as he recalled the meeting with some of the other Captains Yoruichi had taken him and Jiraiya to after the Academy entrance examinations. "Her Lieutenant was imposed on her due to noble family politics, right?"

Kisuke nodded. "That's right. Marenoshin Ōmaeda might be able to use Shikai, but trust me; that's really his only qualification for the role of Lieutenant. He lets his family's wealth go to his head and keeps forgetting that, as far as the nobility's concerned, his clan is actually a minor one. He's okay in a fight against your garden variety Hollows, but anything above that's out of his league. He's full of himself and has just the right combination of arrogance and ignorance to make himself a nuisance to everyone around him. Not many people in Squad Two like the guy, but unfortunately we're stuck with him."

"So the Captain works around him by elevating people she trusts to positions of authority," said Jiraiya with a knowing smile, "Even if they hold a lower rank than the Lieutenant, with enough of them in the right positions she can neutralize his influence. Sound about right?"

Kisuke smirked. "You catch on quickly. As far as Lieutenants are concerned, Ōmaeda's a paper tiger. The real management of Squad Two is handled by Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, and myself."

"A well-conceived setup," said Itachi, "However, what happens if the Lieutenant catches onto the fact that he's being sidelined?"

"Well, so far we haven't had to worry about that," said Kisuke, "Subtlety and intrigue isn't one of the Lieutenant's strong points. If he does, we'll play it by ear; we've gotten pretty good at improvising over the years."

"Is that part of why she wants me to join Squad Two after graduation?" asked Itachi, "Does she think I'll be able to provide another work-around to use against her Lieutenant once I advance in the rankings?"

"It might be a factor," Kisuke admitted, "She's definitely taken a shine to you, and she's usually a good judge of character. Would you be willing to play along if that were the case?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. After all she's done for me, supporting her in her efforts to run Squad Two as she sees fit would be the least that I could do in return."

Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "Not a hint of hesitation… I'm impressed. She really _does_ know how to pick 'em."

"What about you, Jiraiya?" asked Itachi, "In the event that we both end up in Squad Two, would you be willing to go along with Yoruichi's… management system, for want of a better term?"

Jiraiya smiled. "I've got no problem with it. If it helps her run her division effectively, then I'm in."

Kisuke grinned. "Great! I've got a feeling that the two of you will fit in with Squad Two just fine after you graduate."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Itachi as he gestured at the scarred landscape and the multitude of rotting corpses, "We should keep our focus on the job currently at hand."

Jiraiya's nodded. "Right. That soul I just sent along wasn't the last one that needs a Konsō to be performed today."

"All too true," said Kisuke grimly, "Let's go find them before they become the beasts that we're sworn to put down."

….

"That makes six for each of you now," said Kisuke as the soul Itachi had just performed the Konsō on disappeared in a stream of blue light, "You guys have really gotten the hang of it."

Itachi agreed. He had been a little nervous at the start of the mission; the Konsō was unlike any other ritual or task that he had performed before. However, it was quickly becoming natural to him, and he suspected that part of that had to do with the sense of accomplishment and serenity he felt each time he sent a soul onward to the other side. This wasn't the same as killing an enemy. It was releasing an innocent from torment and giving them the chance to start anew. It was granting lost souls peace and safe passage from the grisly battlefield where their lives had been so cruelly cut short.

It almost felt… _redeeming_.

 _I am beyond redemption_ , he forcefully reminded himself, _I slaughtered my kin and tormented my younger brother so that he might strengthen himself and avenge our family's murder by taking my life. It doesn't matter if I wiped them out for the sake of the village and for peace; nothing can change the fact that it was and remains a monstrous crime. No amount of good deeds I commit as a Soul Reaper will absolve me of that guilt._

 _ **Yet you strive for that absolution just the same**_ , said the spirit of his Zanpakutō.

That gave Itachi pause. There was not a hint of sarcasm in her remarks, but Itachi still found it hard to believe that she was being serious.

 _Why would I strive for what I know is beyond me?_

 _ **Perhaps because you are not as wholly consumed by darkness as you believe yourself to be.**_

 _So says the woman generated from my soul that wears the black flames of Amaterasu as clothing._

 _ **Not all that is dark in appearance is dark in intention. Nobility and virtue exist even in the shadows if one knows how to look for them. I would've thought that you, of all people, would understand this.**_

 _I know what it means to work in the shadows for a purpose greater than one's self. However, if you go too deep into the darkness, even with selfless intentions, your nobility and virtue can be irreparably scarred. I fear that my passage through shadow and flame in the name of peace came at a cost to my soul that was far too high. No amount of nobility and virtue can wash away this much blood._

 _ **No one is saying anything about washing away the blood that has been spilt. I would come at this from a different perspective.**_

 _And what might that be?_

 _ **Let the blood you've spilt in the past be a reminder and a warning. Use it to keep yourself anchored in your purpose. As long as you are able to remember the terrible price that you paid in the past for going too far, you will be able to find your path to a future where redemption may yet be possible.**_

 _That's…. surprisingly optimistic, coming from you._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō giggled. _**Even maidens wrapped in the black flames of Amaterasu can have hope for tomorrow, you know. Best we pick this back up at another time, though; you**_ **are** _ **currently in the field, after all.**_

It was at that moment that Itachi felt a hand on his shoulder. He nearly jumped before he saw that it was Jiraiya, who looked a little worried.

"Hey," he said, "Everything okay? You still here with us?"

Itachi nodded. "Yeah… sorry. I got… distracted."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "That's not like you."

Kisuke smiled. "Let me guess; your Zanpakutō decided to have a little chat with you?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"Hey, I used to be a student too once upon a time, remember?" Kisuke pointed out, "It can take a while to get used to having a two-sided conversation inside your own head, believe me. Eventually it'll become second nature and you'll be able to do so without getting distracted from the world around you."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I hope so. Mine can be pretty talkative sometimes too, so I can see why you zoned out there for a second, Itachi. Still, you might want to tell her to keep it down; this isn't the best place to get distracted."

Itachi nodded. "You're right."

 _ **Who does he think he is to order me to shut up?**_

 _Just do me a favor and go along with it for now, all right? I've got a job to do here._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō huffed, and Itachi could easily picture her folding her arms and scowling. _**Fine, then. You're a lousy conversationalist anyway.**_

Itachi wouldn't argue with that.

"How many more souls do you think are out here?" asked Jiraiya.

Kisuke's brow furrowed in thought. "Hard to say. If the other students have been sending them along at the same rate as you two, then we should've made a decent dent in their numbers. More than a few had already become Hollows or had been consumed by Hollows before we even arrived here, so there's that to consider as well. I also had some of my subordinates on Konsō duty earlier in order to get a jump start on containing the situation. We've still got a way to go, but we're making progress."

Itachi surveyed the ranks of rotting corpses. "Are battles like the one that was fought here common in this world?"

Kisuke sighed. "I wouldn't say that they're an everyday occurrence, but they happen far more often than you'd think. Of all the Realms of the Living that Soul Reapers monitor, Terra has the largest population. That means more souls need guidance to the Soul Society from this world than any other, and to make our jobs that much harder it seems that the leaders of the many nations that make up this world have little to no qualms about starting wars with each other. As if that weren't bad enough, they're also determined to find more and more effective ways of killing each other."

"So I've noticed," said Itachi as he knelt next to a fallen soldier and closely examined the weapon next to the corpse, "The smell coming from this thing… blasting powder?"

Jiraiya took a good whiff before nodding. "Hey, you're right. I haven't smelt this stuff since the last time I saw fireworks at a festival."

"Apparently, it's been weaponized in this world to shoot projectiles at lethal velocity," said Kisuke, "In this world, humans kill each other practically every day with these weapons. Anyone can learn to use them with a little practice, and while they're not particularly accurate, that can be made up for through sheer numbers. The result is a field of death like the one we're walking through now."

"These look mass produced," said Itachi as he studied a few more rifles, "Each soldier from the same army has the same weapon. No individual craftsmanship, but I suppose that's not really needed for the weapons of frontline infantry."

"It's a shame, really," said Jiraiya, "There's no soul or artistry in these things. I know it's not their purpose to look pretty, but it is nice when someone takes their time with making a weapon."

Kisuke chuckled. "Well, when you wield a Zanpakutō, most other weapons look pretty plain in comparison, whether they're mass produced or otherwise. It's hard to find weapons as unique as ours, especially once we unlock our Shikai and Bankai."

"Since you're the Third Seat of Squad Two, I take it that you've managed to achieve Shikai, right?" asked Itachi.

Kisuke smiled. "Indeed, I have. If you're lucky, you might get to see it sometime."

"How long did it take you to unlock?" asked Jiraiya.

Kisuke shrugged. "A while. Faster than most, but the process was still time consuming. Some people just click with their Zanpakutō easier than others. It varies from person to person."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

"So, what's yours like?" asked Jiraiya, "Is it a man or a woman?"

Kisuke gave the two of them a sly smile. "Now you're getting greedy. A good Soul Reaper doesn't reveal every trick they have up their sleeves, you know. Some are eager to show off their Zanpakutō and regale others with descriptions of its power, but I prefer to keep my cards close to the chest."

"A reasonable attitude," said Itachi, "Does Yoruichi know about it?"

Kisuke nodded. "Of course. She's my friend and my Captain, so I'm not worried about her knowing what it can do."

"Speaking of Yoruichi," said Itachi, "What's her Zanpakutō like? With the skill I've seen her demonstrate, I find it hard to imagine that there are many Hollows out there capable of pushing her to the point that she uses either her Shikai or Bankai."

"That's very true," Kisuke admitted, "I have seen her use both forms, though, and they're really something special. However, it's not my place to tell the two of you about them. That's for her to share with you if she feels like it. That being said, if you both join Squad Two and survive long enough, I'm sure you'll see her unleash her Zanpakutō's abilities eventually. Consider it something to look forward to."

 _Indeed_ , thought Itachi, _I imagine it must truly be something to see if she's strong enough to be a Captain. All the more reason to push myself so I can get into her unit._

 _ **Is that the**_ **only** _ **reason?**_

 _No games. Not now._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō sighed. _**Sometimes you are just no fun.**_

"Every Captain has both Shikai and Bankai, right?" asked Jiraiya, "Is that an ironclad rule?"

Kisuke's brow furrowed in thought. "Well, it's been the _general_ rule, but I suppose the Head Captain might make an exception if a Soul Reaper demonstrated Captain-class power without achieving Bankai. To my knowledge, I don't think it's ever actually happened, but it'd certainly be interesting to see."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Anyone capable of matching a Captain's strength without Bankai, let alone Shikai, would be a fearsome warrior indeed. Perhaps _too_ fearsome, even. Wouldn't the Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six see someone like that as a potential threat?"

Kisuke nodded. "The Central Forty-Six probably would, but it's hard to tell with the Head Captain. Frankly, his Shikai alone can lay most Bankais to waste. There's a rumor out there that if the Head Captain uses his Bankai for too long it would actually destroy the world."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "You're joking, right?"

Kisuke shrugged. "Like I said, it's a rumor. It's been a _very_ long time since anyone's forced the Head Captain to go all out from what I understand, and it's not like I've ever seen his Bankai in person. Given the strength of his Shikai, though, I wouldn't exactly rule it out."

"If he's that powerful, then what's stopping him from ruling over the Soul Society directly?" asked Itachi, "The Central Forty-Six are judges, not warriors; it's not like they could stand against him if he decided to seize the reins for himself."

"There _is_ the Royal Guard," Jiraiya countered, "They should be able to stop him… right?"

Kisuke smiled. "Hard to say. Every member of the Royal Guard's a former Captain, so they're not pushovers. However, they don't leave the Royal Realm very often. Even if they did, I honestly don't know if they'd be a match for the Head Captain. In terms of raw power, he's in a class by himself."

"Then if there's no meaningful check on his power, what has kept him from ruling as a dictator?" Itachi pressed.

"The Head Captain's his own check and balance," Kisuke answered.

"What do you mean?" asked Jiraiya.

"You could consider the Head Captain to be the human embodiment of conviction," Kisuke replied, "His belief in the laws and customs of the Soul Society is absolute, and he follows them without fail. He also possesses greater loyalty to the Soul Society than anyone else in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; everyone knows that he would sacrifice both himself and all of our divisions in service to the Soul Society without a second thought."

"So it's through conviction and dedication to duty that keeps him from assuming the power to rule, then," said Itachi, "Is that really enough?"

Kisuke shrugged. "Well, he hasn't assumed absolute power, and he's had plenty of opportunities to do so. If he hasn't taken over the Soul Society over the past two thousand years, then I think that tells you quite a bit about the kind of man he is."

Itachi nodded. "That's true. If nothing else, it shows a great deal of respect towards order and tradition."

Jiraiya smiled. "He might be a stiff old man, but it seems like his heart's in the right place."

Kisuke nodded. "You could say that. He's stern and unyielding, but he's got a strong sense of honor and justice. He'll enforce the letter of the law even when it might cause him personal difficulty, and he doesn't play favorites. The high noble clans know better than to mess with him, and it's thanks to that deference that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads aren't at the mercy of their whims. The nobles can and do exert influence, but they all know better than to cross the Head Captain. He keeps us united in our purpose, and that's no small feat when you consider just how large of an organization we are."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "He's led the Thirteen Court Guard Squads since their founding, right? What happens if he steps down… or is incapacitated?"

Kisuke looked concerned. "To be honest, I don't think anyone's really given that much consideration. The Head Captain's very presence has become something akin to a law of nature. His role as our commander is treated the same way as the sunrise and the sunset; something that cannot be challenged."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "He's not immortal, though. I mean sure, souls live for far longer than humans do in the Realms of the Living, but even then, they eventually die and go back into the reincarnation cycle. The Head Captain can't avoid that fate forever."

"There must be some sort of succession protocol," said Itachi, slightly worried at where this conversation was heading, "Right?"

Kisuke sighed. "I'm not an expert in all of the Soul Society's laws, but off the top of my head… I don't think there is."

"And no one considers that to be a problem?" asked Itachi, exerting considerable effort to keep the incredulity he felt from his voice.

Kisuke chuckled. "Well, not everyone's as forward-thinking as you."

"I don't think that you have to be a 'forward-thinking' individual to consider something as simple as a succession protocol," Jiraiya pointed out, "That seems like something that should be pretty standard fare for any military organization."

"And the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are a military with a mission that's more important than that of any other armed force in all of existence," Itachi pressed, "Maintaining the balance of souls, keeping the Hollows in check, and preventing the apocalypse that could ensue if something went wrong? There is no more vital mission than that. For the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to not have a clear procedure for succession in the event of the Head Captain's fall from the scene is blatantly irresponsible."

Kisuke shrugged. "For what it's worth, I'm not arguing with you. Those are all completely valid points that the higher-ups really need to give greater consideration than they have been over the years. The problem is that both the Soul Society and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are organizations that place an incredibly high level of importance on tradition, and since the latter's founding the Head Captain's been woven into the very heart of that tradition. It can be as stubborn and rigid as the old man himself."

"Well, then they need to find a way to make themselves more flexible," Jiraiya argued, "That level of rigidity is not a trait that lends itself to long-term survival."

Kisuke nodded. "You're right about that."

They were suddenly interrupted a bloodcurdling call. The hairs on the back of Itachi's neck stood up; he immediately recognized that cry.

After all, he'd heard it before over three years ago.

Itachi instantly drew his Zanpakutō, and Jiraiya and Kisuke did the same. "A Hollow."

Additional cries rang out, their tones slightly varying but still similar enough to belong to the same species. Itachi's eyes narrowed, and the expressions of his companions became equally grim.

"More than one," said Kisuke.

"I thought your advanced team had cleared this area out," said Jiraiya.

Kisuke nodded. "We had, but that doesn't mean that new Hollows can't show up. This is still a fresh battlefield, after all. There are plenty of scraps left for them to hunt down, and of course there's _us_ as well."

"What should we do?" asked Itachi.

Kisuke studied him and Jiraiya for a moment, and Itachi didn't like the look in his eyes. "Well, normally I'd say we regroup with the others. However, from the sound of it, it seems that this particular group of Hollows isn't all that far from our position. In fact, we're probably the closest to them out of all the Soul Reapers and students in the area."

"Isn't that all the more reason for us to pull back and regroup?" asked Itachi.

Kisuke smiled. "If you two were a normal pair of students, I'd say yes. However, I think it's been pretty well established by now that you two _aren't_ normal students, even for the advanced track. We're not the only ones who would've heard those Hollows; I'm willing to bet that Yoruichi's aware of them, too. She'll make sure that the rest of the students are well protected, but I don't think that we need to be quite as careful when it comes to the two of you."

"If that's how you feel, then what did you have in mind?" asked Jiraiya.

"Just a little bit of reconnaissance," Kisuke replied, "What do you say? Are you two up to go spy on some Hollows?"

Itachi knew that he should refuse, but part of him actually wanted to go along with it. After all, what better training was there than actual field experience?

After a moment he nodded. "All right. Forward recon is one of Squad Two's duties, so if Yoruichi wants us to join her division after we graduate then we might as well get some practice in."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Why not? It sounds a lot more interesting than just hanging back with the rest of our classmates!"

Kisuke smirked. "Now that's what I was hoping to hear! You two just might live up to my expectations after all. All right, let's get moving!"

Itachi and Jiraiya followed Kisuke over a nearby hillside. When they reached the crest, the Third Seat crouched and motioned for the two students to do the same. Following Kisuke's gaze, Itachi saw no less than three Hollows gathered below.

"Looks like they're regular Hollows," said Kisuke after a moment, "I didn't think we'd be unlucky enough to run into a Menos out here, but you never know."

"Why aren't they moving?" asked Itachi, "Hollows are drawn to souls with high quantities of spirit energy, right? Wouldn't it make sense for them to be heading towards our class?"

Kisuke nodded. "Normally, you'd be right. However, Hollows can typically tell the difference between mere souls with high levels of spirit energy and actual Soul Reapers. That's why they're not just charging in to chow down just yet."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed as the Hollows screeched again. "They're calling for help."

"Which means we need to act quickly," said Itachi grimly, "Kisuke, can you take them?"

Kisuke smiled. "A trio of garden variety Hollows like these? It'd be no problem for me. However, where's the fun in that?"

"That depends on your idea of fun," Itachi quipped.

"What's going through the strange head of yours?" asked Jiraiya.

Kisuke chuckled. "Now you're starting to catch on. I'll jump right to the chase; I want to see you two take them on."

Itachi should've seen that one coming, but it still took him off guard. "You do realize we're third year students, right? Even advanced track students aren't supposed to go up against live Hollows until their final year."

Kisuke nodded. "That's true, but you'll find that in Squad Two we tend to bend the rules here and there, or at least Yoruichi doesn't mind it if we do. Normally I wouldn't put students into a situation like this, but you two are different. Ever since the night she met you, Yoruichi's been convinced that the two of you had combat experience in your past lives. Your time at the Academy should've sharpened those skills to the point that you can challenge Hollows by now, especially given how far ahead you two are when compared to your fellow students. If your full potential's going to be unlocked, then you need more challenging tasks than what your instructors are able to give you. If that happens to involve a little risk, well, you know what they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "So, it's trial by fire, then."

"Does Yoruichi know?" asked Itachi.

"Not yet," Kisuke replied, "but I think she'll be _very_ interested in how you two do. Truth be told, I'm pretty sure she assigned me to monitor you two _precisely_ because she thought I might pull something like this. She's known me for a long time, after all."

Itachi's hand went to the handle of his Zanpakutō. "So you say. Very well, then; I accept your challenge."

Jiraiya smiled. "Same here. It's about time we got our hands dirty!"

Kisuke grinned. "Excellent! How you two decide to tackle these beasts is up to you. I'll stay on over-watch and make sure no one tries to crash the party, Hollow or otherwise. Now, show 'em what you've got!"

Itachi and Jiraiya moved forward, keeping low and doing their best to suppress their spiritual pressure to avoid detection. The Hollows were wary, but the beasts did not yet seem to be aware of their presence.

"How do you want to do this?" asked Jiraiya.

"Weaken them at range, then move in to finish them off," said Itachi, "How's your Kidō coming along?"

"About the same as yours," Jiraiya replied, "Just need to keep enough distance to make sure the incantation's complete before the Hollows can get to us."

Itachi nodded. "Right. What do you think? Number 33?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Two blasts at once? I'm game!"

The two of them raised the palms of their right hands, aiming them at the trio of Hollows as they commenced the incantation in unison. "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"

Twin blasts of blue-white energy flew forth and engulfed the Hollows. None of the beasts fell, but all three were burned and scarred by the wave of power that had slammed into them. They were dazed and disoriented, which meant that now was the perfect time to move in for the kill.

A single Flash Step brought Itachi and Jiraiya right into their midst, and the two students wasted no time in drawing their Zanpakutō and carving into their foes. Itachi leapt onto the shoulders of the closest Hollow before thrusting his blade right through the back of the beast's head. Meanwhile, Jiraiya had stabbed one of the creatures in the gut before pulling his sword out and swinging it upwards. The blow caught the Hollow right where its neck met its head, and the beast was decapitated in a single fluid motion.

The third and final Hollow was slightly larger than the others, and by the time Itachi and Jiraiya had dispatched its two companions it looked like it had shaken off the shock of their initial Kidō strike. It was scorched and seared, with wisps of smoke still emanating from its skin, but its eyes were locked on Itachi and Jiraiya, and it looked quite angry. The beast swung about wildly with its claws, forcing the two students to pull back for some breathing room.

Jiraiya smirked. "I think we made it mad."

Itachi nodded. "Indeed. Take the left; I'll go right."

The two men charged back in, determined to put their foe down like the rabid monster it was. The Hollow's claws were long and sharp, and it had a clear advantage in reach over the students, but its movements were slow, and its bestial fury actually made it easier to predict and counter. Ducking low to avoid a vicious swipe, Itachi then swung his Zanpakutō up and took the Hollow's right arm off at the elbow. At the same time, Jiraiya thrust his sword into the left side of the creature's abdomen. The beast fell to its knees, howling in pain. Together, the two students raised their swords for the coup de grace, thrusting them straight into the Hollow's head.

As the creature dissolved they heard applause coming from behind them. Turning around as they lowered their blades, they saw Kisuke approaching them, and he looked rather pleased with their handiwork.

"Well done," he said with a smile, "A lot better than I was expecting, really. You two really have a knack for this!"

Jiraiya smiled as he sheathed his sword. "Coming at it with the proper training and the right weapon makes the job a hell of a lot easier than the first time we took on one of these things."

Itachi nodded. "I have no desire to sound arrogant, but… well, it was easier than I thought it would be."

Kisuke laughed. "You sound surprised! I don't think you two have fully comprehended yet just how far you've come in three years. I'm sure your instructors have heaped praise upon you, but I'm willing to bet you've grown numb to it with the passage of time. The only way at this point for the two of you to truly understand where your training has taken you now is for it to be put to the test outside of the classroom, and you've passed your first test with flying colors!"

Itachi was about to respond when a series of familiar cries rang out. Turning around, it didn't take him long to spot the source; additional Hollows had come calling.

Five of them this time.

"It seems we're celebrating prematurely," he said as he drew his sword again.

"Yeah," said Jiraiya as he did the same, "We don't have the element of surprise this time. What's the plan?"

Kisuke smirked as he unsheathed his Zanpakutō. "Why don't you two take a break? You've put in your share of work for the day; let me handle these guys."

"Are you sure?" asked Itachi.

"You're really going to take them all on by yourself?" said Jiraiya with a hint of incredulity.

"Don't forget who you're talking to," Kisuke replied, "I'm the Third Seat of Squad Two. I'm more than just a glorified jailor, you know. Here; let me give you a demonstration."

The man suddenly disappeared, and it was only thanks to Itachi's training that he was able to pick up Kisuke's presence again before the Soul Reaper was amongst the Hollows. As he completed his opening Flash Step he sliced a Hollow in half with an almost casual ease that Itachi could only marvel at.

And he was just getting warmed up.

The remaining four Hollows surrounded him, but Kisuke didn't look the least bit concerned. As they all lunged forward he leapt into the air, vaulting over them and causing the beasts to crash headlong into each other. A second Flash Step brought him right behind one of the Hollows, and he thrust his Zanpakutō into the back of the creature's head. The three surviving Hollows rounded on him, ready to tear him apart with their claws and teeth.

They never got the chance. Kisuke's sword was little more than a silver blur, decapitating one Hollow and impaling another straight through its mask in the blink of an eye. The final Hollow didn't get as mercifully quick an exit; Kisuke cut off its legs before flipping his sword over to his left hand and stretching out his right.

"Hadō 33: Sōkatsui."

It was the same spell that Itachi and Jiraiya had used before, but only in name and type. The blast of blue-white energy that ripped forth from Kisuke's palm was at least twice the size of what the two former Shinobi had been able to conjure, and that was without the spell's incantation. Also, unlike the scorch marks that Itachi and Jiraiya's attacks had left on their target's, Kisuke's spell disintegrated the Hollow outright. Itachi could only imagine just how powerful the blast would've been at full strength.

 _So this is the strength of a seasoned officer_ , he thought, _I can't believe he was able to muster that level of power with no incantation…_

Next to him, he heard Jiraiya whistle. "Now that's what I call some fireworks!"

Itachi nodded. "That's certainly one way to put it."

Kisuke smiled as he approached the two of them. "Well, that was a nice little bit of exercise! Always good to keep one's skills sharp and all."

"I'd say that they're more than sharp," Itachi replied, "You've certainly earned your rank."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Indeed. That was quite the show you put on. I'm almost embarrassed by how we did in comparison!"

Kisuke shook his head. "Don't be. You two are still students, after all. What you're capable of is still far ahead of anything that anyone else in your class can do, so don't sell yourself short. Remember, you're only halfway through your Academy years. By the time the two of you graduate, I can only imagine what the two of you will be capable of. I'm not the only one looking forward to that day; I know that Yoruichi's absolutely dying to snatch up the two of you before any of the other Captains get a chance come graduation."

"Speaking of Yoruichi, shouldn't we report back to her?" asked Itachi, "I'm pretty sure an encounter with Hollows on our Konsō exercise is something that she'll want to hear about."

 _ **And you want**_ **her** _ **to hear about how well you did in the fight. Don't bother denying it.**_

 _Shut up._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō was silent, but that didn't matter; Itachi could easily picture the satisfied smirk that must've been on her face.

Kisuke nodded. "I think you're right. She might give me free reign in situations like this, but she does like to be kept in the loop. Well, let's get a move on. We may have dealt with this batch of Hollows, but there's always the chance that more could come. As fun as it might be to see you two go at it with them again, I think I've worked you both enough for one day."

….

Yoruichi smiled as she saw Kisuke leading Itachi and Jiraiya towards the main group. Her Third Seat had taken his sweet time, and she had a feeling it had to do with the sudden cessation of Hollow cries.

 _If I had to guess, I'd say the boys had a little fun with our uninvited guests_ , she mused, _I'd expect nothing less from Kisuke. I can't wait to get the details!_

She folded her arms and smirked as her friend approached. "Nice of you three to finally join us. Done taking in the sights, Kisuke?"

Her Third Seat chuckled. "In a manner of speaking. Sorry about the delay, but we had to deal with some pests back there."

"I see," she replied, "Well, since you three don't look any worse for the wear, am I safe in assuming that things went well?"

Kisuke smiled. "Very."

"Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon, "Forgive me for interrupting, but we really should get the students out of here. We have no idea how many more Hollows may be out there."

Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. How many did you three have to deal with?"

"Eight in total," said Itachi, "We spotted no sign of enemy reinforcements, but they could be lurking just out of sight."

"I'd hate for our exercise to be cut short early," said Jiraiya, "but there is that old bit about discretion being the better part of valor to consider."

 _True_ , she thought, _but if the rest of your classmates were gone and it was just you two here, I'd be tempted to let you stick around and see what you can do. I guess I'll just have to settle for getting Kisuke's report later this time._

"We've put a pretty good dent in the number of souls that were wandering around here," Kisuke chimed in, "My team should be able to manage things from here if you want to get the students back to the Academy."

"All right," said Yoruichi, "I know it's earlier than we'd originally planned, but I think everyone got in a decent amount of practice today. Next time we take you all into the field, we'll try to find a less volatile spot. For now, let's head home. Soi-Fon?"

"Already on it, Lady Yoruichi," her bodyguard replied.

Indeed, her Zanpakutō was already drawn, and a moment later Soi-Fon thrust it forward. She then turned the blade so its edge ran parallel to the ground, and a second later there was a flash of light as a rift appeared in the air. A set of rectangular sliding doors appeared and opened up, and behind those were another set of doors, this time forming a circle. Those doors slid open as well, and a small flock of Hell Butterflies flew out.

"Okay, everyone, you know the drill!" Yoruichi barked, "Stay close to Soi-Fon and I, and we'll all be back in the Soul Society before you know it. Let's move!"

….

Taking a sip of tea, Kisuke smiled as he looked across the table at Yoruichi. "I'm glad you had me along for the ride on this one. You were right; those two really are something special. Especially Itachi."

They were back at the Squad Two barracks going over the post action reports. It had taken Kisuke a little while longer to get back to the Soul Society due to having to oversee efforts to send the remaining souls from the battlefield on to the afterlife, and there had been a few more Hollows that required dispatching as well. Overall, it had been a full day's work, and Kisuke was grateful for the chance to kick his feet up and relax a little now.

 _That little exercise was a lot more interesting than I thought it'd be_ , he mused, _Itachi and Jiraiya… I can definitely see now why Yoruichi's been keeping her eye on the two of you._

Yoruichi grinned as she finished filling out the last form in what had once been a rather imposing stack of them. "He's a real gem, right? It's been a long time since I've seen someone take to all of this as naturally as he does."

Kisuke nodded. "The way he handled his first Konsō alone was impressive, but the fight with the Hollows… I think you hit the nail on the head with him. Whatever he and Jiraiya were before coming to the Soul Society, they definitely had some combat experience, and it's carried over to their next life. Hell, if they joined Squad Two tomorrow, I bet they'd do quite well. Three more years at the Academy almost seems like a waste of time."

Yoruichi sighed. "I know what you mean. I was considering asking the old man if I could pull them both out and have Minerva complete their training herself, but I think I've already pressed my luck with the Head Captain enough as it is. I'm sure he recognizes their talent, or at least Itachi's, but you know how he is with regards to going through the traditional process and all."

Kisuke shrugged. "Well, look at this way; at least they'll be a little more refined by the time graduation rolls around. From the way I see it, it appears that they'll be able to hit the ground running once they go on active duty."

Yoruichi smiled. "That's what I was thinking, too. Man, I can't wait for that day to finally come!"

Kisuke smirked. "You _do_ realize that you don't necessarily have a lock on the two of them, right? The other Captains aren't blind, after all. With the waves these two have been making, I'd be surprised if your colleagues aren't plotting ways to bring them into their divisions."

Yoruichi nodded. "Oh, I'm well aware of that. The competition's going to get pretty stiff the closer we get to graduation. I'd rather get the two of them as a set, but if I have to haggle with another Captain, I can let Jiraiya go. Itachi, though… well, let's just say that he's not up for negotiation."

Kisuke chuckled. "I wonder how he feels about that."

"I think he might be warmer to the idea than you realize," Yoruichi replied with a knowing smirk, "After all, not only did I save his life, but I helped him out after that incident with the soul fracture set him back. Don't forget that he specifically challenged _me_ to a sparring match in his Hakuda class the same day that took place, either. Also, from what Minerva told me when she was training him, he sounds like he's pretty open to the idea of joining Squad Two. I don't think that's changed if your report's any indication."

"Maybe," said Kisuke, "but that doesn't mean he won't be tempted by some of the other Captains. Depending on the openings in their squads when graduation comes around, they could make some pretty impressive pitches to him."

Yoruichi nodded. "I know. It'll be about more than just who can offer him the best starting position, though. If I've read him right so far, he'll want a division that can put his talents to the best possible use and still give him a chance to expand and improve upon those abilities. Given the kind of work we do in Squad Two, I think he'll have a hard time in passing us up."

Kisuke smiled. "I hope you're right. He definitely seems like he'd be interesting to watch, especially once he unlocks his Zanpakutō's Shikai. Depending on how he turns out, he might even make a fun test subject if I can talk him into it!"

Yoruichi laughed. "Maybe, but don't pull him into anything _too_ dangerous! I want him in one piece, Kisuke."

"Well, he still has to get through the rest of his term at the Academy either way," said her Third Seat, "Today won't be the last time that he goes out into the field, after all. He still has to survive the rest of the trips the advanced track goes on, and this was a relatively easy one."

Yoruichi smiled. "True, but I think he's up to the challenge. If anything, those trips will help him tap into more of his abilities and further refine them. I'll have to see if I can get Squad Two involved in more of them; it was pretty fun playing overseer this time around. It'd be even better if I could observe him myself next time instead of relying on you. No offense."

"None taken," said Kisuke with a knowing smirk, "I know how you like to enjoy your eye candy."

Yoruichi wouldn't deny it. Itachi might not have been a skirt-chaser like his pal Jiraiya, but he was _very_ easy on the eyes, and it hadn't been hard to tell based on observing his classmates that he was rather popular with the female students in the advanced track. Yoruichi couldn't blame them; if anything, three years of training in the Soul Reaper arts had simply enhanced what had already been a particularly handsome figure.

 _Good looks, brains, impressive skills and an enormous amount of potential_ , she mused, _Itachi, you really are the whole package, aren't you?_

"So," said Kisuke, interrupting her pleasant train of thought, "who do you think your biggest competition is for recruiting him?"

Yoruichi's brow furrowed as she carefully considered the question. "Tough call. I remember Kirio really wanted to get the two of them into Squad Twelve when I introduced Itachi and Jiraiya to her at that meeting after the entrance exams. The other Captains that were present seemed interested in them too, but to varying degrees. Unohana might be another one that I'll have to watch out for; she's had about as much exposure to the two of them as I've had, so she knows just how promising they are."

Kisuke chuckled. "Even with Jiraiya acting a little bolder than a man should around her?"

Yoruichi laughed. "Yeah, although if he doesn't watch out she'll do more than just mess up his shoulder next time! I can't really see the two of them being healers, but their Kidō scores have been top notch, so they could always pick up some skill with Kaidō. Minerva's not the only person I know to have spent some time in Squad Four to work on their healing abilities before moving on to another division. Not many people go that route, but it's not unheard of, either."

"Would she let the two of them go that easy?" asked Kisuke, "Unohana's got just as much of an eye for talent as you do, after all. She could decide to hold on to one or both of them; if they proved capable of maintaining their combat abilities even as their skills in Kaidō progressed, they'd be very useful for her division."

Yoruichi nodded. "You make a good point there. Still, I don't really think that Itachi and Jiraiya are the kind of recruits Unohana's looking for. She typically scopes out the students who excel in Kidō first and foremost, which puts her more in competition with the Kidō Corps than Squad Two. Itachi and Jiraiya do very well when it comes to spell casting, but from what I've seen their real strengths lie in Hakuda, Hohō, and Zanjutsu."

"So it's the more combat-heavy squads that you need to watch out for, then," said Kisuke, "Sound about right?"

"Exactly," she replied, "Jiraiya and Kyōraku seemed to hit it off pretty well after the entrance exams, while Yadōmaru warmed up to Itachi, so Squad Eight could definitely be gunning for them. Thanks to his work on that light novel series of his, Jiraiya's also gotten plenty of exposure to Squad Nine. I don't think he's Kensei's ideal type of recruit, but Mashiro's a wild card; you never know what she might talk him into."

"The Head Captain could come into play here too, at least as far as Itachi's concerned," Kisuke pointed out, "He did oversee that special examination for him after he recovered from the soul fracture. From what you told me, the old man seemed pretty impressed with what Itachi was capable of back then, and he's only gotten better since."

Yoruichi sighed. "I know. Going head-to-head with Yamamoto for a recruit isn't a fight I'm looking forward to, but it might just come down to that. The old man's definitely a potential threat there, no doubt about that. Still, I'm hoping that I can use the talent Itachi displayed during the exam to convince the Head Captain that he's got a natural aptitude for a division like mine. As long as I can make a solid and logical argument, I should be able to get the old man to see things my way."

Kisuke nodded. "Well, I hope it goes well should it come to that. It'd be a real shame for Squad One to hog all the best students; they tend to get a disproportionate share of each class's cream of the crop, so a little shakeup this year would be nice."

"You got that right," Yoruichi replied, "Outside of Squad One, I guess the only competition I'm really worried about would be from Squads Six and Ten."

Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "You mean Kuchiki and Drakken? They haven't even met Itachi and Jiraiya yet, right?"

"To the best of my knowledge," said Yoruichi, "Still, as far as status goes, they're both like me; members of powerful noble families with plenty of pull inside the Seireitei."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed as he considered the two Captains. "Drakken I can see scouting the two of them at some point, but I don't think Jiraiya would mesh well with Kuchiki. Old man Ginrei would be more likely to target Itachi for recruitment."

Yoruichi nodded. "I agree. Squad Six does everything possible to maintain its image as a 'model division', so someone with Itachi's skills and bearing would appeal to Captain Kuchiki. Squad Ten's a little more easy-going in comparison, but they've gained a reputation for daring and jumping into the heart of the action under Captain Drakken. Of course, that special dispensation he received from the Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six played a role in that. They've become quite popular as a result."

Kisuke chuckled. "You don't say? You know, it's pretty easy to see why that's the case. After all, no other division has a mascot quite like that."

Yoruichi smirked. "Yeah, and it packs a real punch in a fight to boot. It's a little hard for other units to compete with something like that when it comes to impressing new recruits, even for divisions like mine with a noble heading them."

Kisuke smiled. "True, but since when have you let that stop you?"

Yoruichi grinned. "Never!"

 _Just you wait, Itachi_ , she thought, _I don't care how hard I have to work for it; I'm getting you into Squad Two no matter what!_

 **Author's Notes:** As a historical reference, the place where this chapter's Konsō exercise took place was near the River Alma on the Crimean Peninsula. What Itachi, Jiraiya and their classmates were walking through was the aftermath of the Battle of the Alma, a major engagement that took place on September 20th, 1854 during the Crimean War. This also offers a bit of perspective for where the story currently sits; still quite a ways off from the modern era, to the point that it'll be quite some time before Bleach protagonist Ichigo's even born!

Also, if you're wondering about the surname 'Drakken' that came up in Kisuke and Yoruichi's conversation at the end of the chapter, that's the name of one of the new aristocratic families that I'm introducing in this story. There'll be more information on them in the next chapter.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes:** Well, I was originally planning on waiting a little longer to release this one, but I couldn't resist any longer!

A quick word on the Soul Society's high aristocracy; more of my reshuffle of the nobility and alterations will be on display in this chapter. To help you get your bearings, the Shihōin, Kuchiki, and Shiba Clans are still among the Great Noble Houses. However, two more are new. One is the Drakken Clan, which will be introduced this chapter. As for the last one, you'll have to wait a little while longer for their proper introduction.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Nine: Rivalry's Flames**

 **146 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town**

"Again!" barked the spirit of his Zanpakutō.

 _She's relentless today_ , thought Itachi as he braced himself for her opening assault.

The woman cloaked in black flames came in hard and fast, immediately putting Itachi on the defensive. The blades of the two duelists flashed like bolts of lightning as they clashed, and despite his foe's ferocious strikes Itachi was holding his own. His defense was solid; tight, efficient, and swift. His footing remained firm, and even as he was under attack he was already looking for the opening he would need to initiate a counter.

That opening came a moment later. After deflecting a diagonal slash, Itachi countered with an overhand strike. His foe was forced to block, and Itachi was able to seize the initiative and go on the offensive. He surged forward, his Zanpakutō little more than a series of silver streaks as he went into a sequence of swift and precise blows. His opponent fell back, but she was hardly deterred by his assault. Just like Itachi before, she was patiently waiting for her chance to strike back, and he knew that she would seize it the instant it was available.

Despite sparring with the spirit of his Zanpakutō every day since his return to the Academy following the healing of his soul fracture, Itachi had never once grown weary of these matches. On the contrary, they were a much looked forward to part of his routine. He always felt like he had something to learn from each fight, and he couldn't think of a better way to keep his Zanjutsu skills sharp. These skirmishes had become even more important to him once he'd learned that Jiraiya had also managed to make it to his inner world; a little friendly competition from the Legendary Sannin was a nice bit of incentive for Itachi to maintain his efforts to improve his abilities.

Not for the first time since these matches had begun, Itachi couldn't help but notice that his inner world had subtly changed since the first time he had visited it. The cobblestone pathway remained, as did the stone lanterns with their eerie blood-red flames and the twisted trees, but the environmental conditions had been altered significantly. The clouds that had once filled the sky of his inner world were completely gone now, allowing the crimson moon's full brilliance to shine down from on high. That wasn't the only light coming from the sky, either; red stars were visible all across the black backdrop above. In fact, Itachi could've sworn that they were shining brighter now than they had in the past.

"I'm so glad that you're able to admire the scenery in my humble abode," his foe gently chided him, "but your eyes should be on me, Itachi."

She made him pay for his momentary lapse by thrusting her blade forward. Itachi was able to deflect the strike, but it was still all that she needed to regain the initiative. Once again, she went into a furious assault, as withering and vicious as it was swift and powerful. There was a certain beauty in her movements that Itachi couldn't help but admire; it was the deadly grace of a she-wolf on the hunt, hounding her prey with her eyes set on its throat.

"Why the changes in the weather?" he asked as their blades crossed yet again.

"Come now, Itachi," she replied with a smile, "You know full well that the conditions in this world aren't influenced by traditional means. They reflect your soul, so they're bound to change as your journey down the path of the Soul Reaper continues."

"So does all this reflect progress or regression?" Itachi pressed as he parried her strikes.

"Progress, of course," said his sparring partner.

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he deflected a slash. "That's unusually straightforward of you."

The spirit of his Zanpakutō smirked as she continued to attack him. "I don't always feel the need to speak in cryptic riddles, you know? Besides, I hear that positive reinforcement for such development is a good thing."

"Perhaps," said Itachi, "but it's still a little strange coming from you."

His opponent shook her head. "You know, it's considered rude to question a compliment like that. I thought you were more well-mannered than that."

"Does etiquette have a place in a fight?" Itachi deadpanned as he blocked a particularly powerful blow.

"I suppose not," his adversary replied.

The song of clashing steel intensified as their duel continued. Back and forth the combatants went, trading the roles of attacker and defender fluidly and frequently. Itachi idly wondered what his Zanjutsu instructors would make of a fight like this. Had any of them ever fought their Zanpakutō in a duel like this one?

It wasn't just his technique that benefitted from matches like this. The daily duels were improving his conditioning as well, to the point that Itachi barely even broke a sweat in his Zanjutsu classes anymore. If anything, the Academy's lessons on swordsmanship seemed rather tame when compared to the fierce clashes that he regularly engaged the spirit of his Zanpakutō in. About the only time he really had to put in work during those official sessions nowadays was when he sparred with Jiraiya.

How would he and the Legendary Sannin perform against Hollows now? It had been a year since their encounter on Terra with the beasts that had attempted to invade their Konsō exercise, and even though it had been a brief fight it still hadn't been far from Itachi's mind. Practice matches both in the classroom and with the spirt of his Zanpakutō were all well and good, but Hollows were the enemy that he was ultimately training to defeat, so Itachi was naturally inclined to wonder when he'd get another chance to face them. It wasn't that he was actively seeking out such an encounter, but he knew that it would have to happen sooner or later.

"What's the matter?" asked his opponent as she launched a fresh offensive, "Don't tell me you're growing bored with our little match here?"

"Hardly," Itachi replied as he fended off her attacks.

"Then why the discontent?" she pressed, "You forget that I can read you far better than others, you know."

His eyes narrowed as he countered her strike and retook the offensive. "There is only so much that I can learn in an academic setting. Our matches have been instructive, but you are not my enemy. I need to know that I'm capable of challenging and defeating Hollows consistently. A single encounter during my entire term at the Academy hardly qualifies in that regard."

"Your time will come," his sparring partner replied, "You of all people ought to know the value of patience. Focus on your training; the chance to prove yourself in the field again will find you soon enough."

Itachi nodded. She was right; the best thing for him to do right now was focus on continuing to improve his abilities and learn new skills. It wasn't like him to be eager to face a new enemy, even one that had proven just how dire the need was for experienced warriors to fight against it. Hollows were unlike any foe that he had encountered during his life in the Shinobi World, and there was still much about them that he did not fully understand. It would not do to rush into a confrontation just for the sake of testing his skills out in the field; he had to take advantage of his time in the Academy to gain as much knowledge and practice as he could before he graduated and officially joined the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

The duel continued on, but Itachi could sense that it was approaching a climax. His opponent was growing more aggressive, and Itachi had no choice but to match her. Deflecting a diagonal strike, he countered with a thrust that his opponent redirected. She whirled around, adding centrifugal force to her follow-up slash, and Itachi was barely able to block it. He ducked beneath her next strike before bringing his sword up in a slash, but she swiftly parried that attack. The two of them thrust their blades out at exactly the same time, bringing them to a stop just a hair's breadth above each other's necks.

She smiled before withdrawing her weapon. "A tie… well done, Itachi."

"Thanks," said Itachi as he sheathed his sword, "You certainly made me work for it."

"Well, _someone_ has to keep you on your toes when Yoruichi isn't around," she shot back with a smirk, "We wouldn't want you losing your edge just because your classes can't sufficiently challenge you and she hasn't seen fit to put you back under Minerva's tutelage."

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Good point. I wonder how she's doing…"

"Minerva or Yoruichi?" she asked with a knowing smile.

Itachi shook his head a little more forcefully than he'd meant to. "Never mind. I need to get going."

"Of course," she said with a mischievous smirk, "Until next time, Itachi!"

….

The training hall sang with the melody of clashing wooden practice swords. As per the normal routine, the lead Zanjutsu instructor for the advanced track students had already paired them up with the sparring partners for the session's drills, and Itachi and Jiraiya were well into yet another one of their fast-paced yet friendly bouts. It was a ritual that Itachi had grown as accustomed to as he had with the matches the spirit of his Zanpakutō engaged him in, and he would privately admit that he enjoyed these skirmishes with the Legendary Sannin just as much as those with the maiden cloaked in the black flames of Amaterasu.

He couldn't help but smirk as his eyes fell on the bruise on the right side of Jiraiya's forehead. "Should I ease up a little, old man? I'd feel bad about claiming a win that was made possible by a giant toad thrashing you beforehand."

Jiraiya chuckled as he fended off Itachi's assault. "Hah, you mean this? That was just a tap! I didn't feel a thing!"

"A 'tap' from an armored fist or boot?" Itachi asked as he pressed his attack, "Or did you get headbutted this time? The spirit of your Zanpakutō rarely seems to hold its punches these days."

Jiraiya grinned as he countered and went on the offensive. "Hey, it's no fun when he's holding back, and the same goes for you! I may look old, but I feel a hell of a lot younger now that I'm dead, so hit me with your best shot!"

 _Indeed_ , Itachi mused as he deflected Jiraiya's blows, _I never thought that the afterlife would be quite as rejuvenating an experience as it's proven to be. Death, it would seem, is not without its advantages…_

It was actually quite easy for him to forget nowadays that he was indeed dead. He had acclimated well to the Soul Society over the past four years, so much so in fact that it was hard to remember that this was supposed to be the afterlife. Itachi might've passed on from the world of the living, but it was hard to recall a point in his past life where he'd felt as _alive_ as he did now. Yes, he was still dead, but a whole new world of opportunity was before him, and he had taken great strides to realize it since enrolling in the Academy.

Of course, no one could progress as rapidly or ascend as highly as Itachi and Jiraiya had without ruffling some feathers. Itachi was all too familiar with how success and prodigious growth could isolate someone from others, and while he had tried to avoid making the same mistakes as he had in his younger days, he suspected that some alienation might be inevitable. Having a friend like Jiraiya, as odd as their friendship might be, certainly helped, as did the support of Yoruichi and her circle of friends, but his relationship with his fellow students was a little on the tense side. Yes, many admired him, and he knew that he was still the object of desire for an uncomfortably large segment of the female student body, but there were others who saw his rise and prominence as an obstacle and regarded it with jealousy and suspicion.

As he continued his match with Jiraiya, Itachi could sense that one of those not-so-friendly students had their eyes on him. A second of distraction could very easily cost him the match, but Itachi felt that the risk was worth it to find out just who was studying him so intently today. It only took a moment to discover them, but in that brief instance Jiraiya was very nearly able to land the winning hit on him.

Jiraiya laughed as Itachi was barely able to block his attack. "Getting sloppy there, mister class genius! What's got you so distracted?"

"We're being watched," said Itachi as he backpedaled and regrouped, "Their scrutiny seems rather sharp, I might add."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow before looking past Itachi's shoulder and spotting who he was referring to. "Oh, so it's little miss Vissy that's got her eye on us, eh? Interesting…"

'Vissy' was the teasing nickname that the Legendary Sannin had developed for the young woman who would've been at the top of the advanced track student rankings were it not for himself and Itachi. Her full name was Visaelya Drakken, and she was none other than the niece of Squad Ten's Captain, Rhaegon Drakken. A rather tall woman with a slender yet athletic frame, she was quite easily the most popular female student in their class. It wasn't hard to see why; her fair complexion, exotic violet eyes and long, silver-blonde hair definitely made her stand out in a crowd, but she was more than just a pretty face. Like every student in the advanced class, male or female, she had demonstrated great aptitude for the Soul Reaper arts, and despite, or perhaps _because_ of, her hailing from one of the Five Great Noble Houses she was a very hard-working girl, putting impressive effort into both her academic and physical studies. Her gifts were considerable, and Itachi had no doubt that she'd go far once she graduated from the Academy.

Unfortunately, it had become readily apparent that 'going far' wasn't enough for Visaelya. It hadn't taken Itachi or Jiraiya long to tell that she was gunning to make herself _the_ standout student in the advanced track, but from the moment the entrance exams had taken place the two former Shinobi had stolen her thunder. It was the two of them that had been invited to meet the Captains reviewing the exam scores, not her, just as it was the two of them who had consistently stolen the top spots in the rankings ever since beginning their education at the Academy.

"You'd better keep your guard up," said Jiraiya with a smirk as he redoubled his attack on Itachi, "She's got fire in her eyes today. Hell, she might just call you out in the challenge fights later!"

"What makes you think she won't challenge you instead?" asked Itachi as he countered and seized the initiative, "She hasn't called either of us out in years. No one has."

"Please," Jiraiya replied, "it's written all over her face. That's confidence and determination if I've ever seen it. She's gunning for the top spot today, and since only _one_ of us in the advanced track has actually sparred with a Captain, I think it's pretty safe to say we both know who she's got in her sights."

Privately, Itachi had to concede that Jiraiya had a point. Although both former Shinobi were at the top of the class, everyone knew that he was the favorite of not only Yoruichi, but several other Captains. Itachi was as high a profile target in the advanced track as one could get, and just because no one had called him out over the past few years in their Zanjutsu class didn't mean that they couldn't. They were in the fourth year of a six-year education; there was still plenty of time for one of his classmates to try to knock him from his perch. Itachi wasn't particularly attached to his lofty position, but at the same time he wasn't about to let himself be dethroned without a fight.

Their match dragged on for a few minutes longer with no clear winner before it was broken up by the instructor's call. "All right, everyone, it's time for the challenge fights! Cease your duels and gather in the center of the hall!"

Jiraiya smirked as the two of them lowered their training swords. "Saved by the teacher."

Itachi nodded. "Indeed. I would've won the duel on the next exchange."

The Legendary Sannin chuckled. "Is that so? I'll have to prove you wrong in our next match. Maybe Vissy won't get to challenge you today; I might just have to cut to the front of the line!"

"You're welcome to do so," Itachi replied casually, "I'll be waiting."

The two of them joined their classmates in forming a circle at the center of the room. Their instructor, a middle-aged Soul Reaper who went only by the name 'Iemon', stepped into the middle of the circle.

"So, who will go first today?" he asked, "Who wants to open up today's challenge fights?"

Visaelya immediately stood up and stepped forward. "I do, Iemon-sensei!"

 _ **Your oaf of a friend appears to be right this time**_ , said the spirit of Itachi's Zanpakutō.

 _She hasn't called me out yet._

 _ **Don't kid yourself. She's looking right at you.**_

Indeed, she was. Visaelya's gaze was locked on Itachi, and he could see the determination burning in her violet eyes. She wanted a fight; there was no doubt about it.

"I challenge Itachi Uchiha!" she barked.

A collective gasp went through the assembled students, with the exception of Itachi and Jiraiya. The sage had a satisfied smirk on his face; Itachi was sure that it was taking every ounce of restraint the man had to keep him from rubbing it in that he had called this one perfectly.

 _I'm never going to hear the end of this._

 _ **It'll be even worse if you decline her challenge. What's your move?**_

 _What do you think? The dice have been thrown, so I'll put my stake on the table and play her game._

He was sure that the spirit of his weapon was smiling. _**Good.**_

Itachi stood up and nodded. "I accept."

Iemon looked back and forth between the two of them for a moment. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely," Visaelya replied firmly.

"If she insists," said Itachi.

The instructor stepped back as the two of them faced off. Visaelya was glaring daggers at him, and Itachi idly wondered if he'd inadvertently done something to piss her off.

 _Women were never my strong suit..._

 _ **You don't say?**_

 _No quips. Not now._

 _ **Killjoy.**_

There were no pre-fight taunts or gestures from his opponent. The look in her eyes was enough to tell Itachi that she was all business. She clearly had a great deal invested in this fight, and she'd likely been planning it for some time. Itachi would have to keep his guard up; she'd had plenty of chances to observe his fighting style over the past four years, after all.

Iemon raised his hand. "Ready? Three… two… one… begin!"

Visaelya made the first move, lunging forward like a pouncing lioness and bringing her blade down in a hard-overhand strike. Itachi raised his sword to block the attack and was surprised by the strength behind the blow

 _She never struck me as a power-fighter_ , he thought as he fended off her subsequent strikes, _Her physical strength has improved considerably, though. She's been putting in some serious extra training._

Her moves were swift, and her strikes flowed with a gracefulness that belied the might behind them. She was aggressive and confident, traits that Itachi could certainly admire even as he was on the other end of them. If nothing else, Visaelya was clearly determined to make him work for his win today, and Itachi was willing to oblige her.

He had an opening to counter and take the offensive, but Itachi declined it. He was curious as to just how far she had come since the last time she had challenged him, so he decided to content himself for the moment with simply deflecting her attacks and studying her form. Itachi continued to backpedal, altering the angle of his retreat so that he wouldn't get forced into a corner and allowing himself flexibility with his defense. When he didn't outright block or parry a blow he would duck and roll beneath it, coming back up just in time to contend with her next assault.

From the way Visaelya intensified her attacks, it was apparent that she had caught on to what he was doing, and she wasn't happy about it. "Take this seriously, Itachi! I won't accept you holding back on me! Attack, damn it! What are you waiting for?"

"Timing is everything," Itachi replied calmly as he redirected her thrust, "You ought to know; is that not why you've waited until now to challenge me?"

She didn't say anything, but from the way she was gritting her teeth Itachi knew that he was getting on her nerves. It wasn't his intention to do so, but if his opponent was going to let herself get riled up then Itachi wasn't above exploiting that.

 _ **How ruthless of you.**_

 _You disapprove?_

 _ **Quite the contrary.**_

He continued to play defense, allowing his foe to further irritate herself and expend valuable energy. Her blows rained down hard and fast, but by keeping himself calm and centered Itachi was able to withstand the assault. She was head and shoulders above the other students in the advanced track with the exception of Jiraiya and himself, but her pride was a critical weakness.

Itachi rolled to the side as she brought her sword down in a vicious overhand strike. Coming back up and brining his weapon into guard position in a single fluid motion, he deftly parried her follow-up attack. Her next sequence of strikes was swift and precise, but her anger was costing her; she was unconsciously broadcasting her intentions, making it a relatively simple matter for a fighter as experienced as Itachi to read her moves and react accordingly.

 _ **She has talent. It's a shame that her jealousy of your prominence is undermining it. No matter; that's just one more weakness for us to take advantage of.**_

 _She must learn to master her emotions and not let them override her judgment. Once she accomplishes that, I imagine her true potential will be quite impressive._

 _ **Yes, but that is for**_ **her** _ **to realize. You are not her teacher. You task here and now is to crush her and defend your position at the top of the hierarchy.**_

 _Not the way I would put it. Defeat her, yes, but not crush her. She can still learn and grow. Besides, I don't care about the hierarchy of our class, and I will not demoralize and humiliate a fellow student simply to assert dominance._

 _ **You're too soft.**_

Itachi didn't bother to respond. As he deflected one blow after another he began to seek out the opening he would need to bring this contest to a close. He tightened up his defenses, minimizing his profile and leaving no gaps for Visaelya to exploit. She continued to rain down blow after blow, but Itachi detected a growing sense of desperation in his adversary. Her strikes were becoming less and less efficient as her frustration grew; their power was now becoming a liability as she succeeded only in draining her own energy reserves in her efforts to bash down the moving barrier that Itachi's sword had become.

It was when Visaelya lunged forward and thrust her sword at his gut that Itachi found the opportunity he'd been looking for. Bringing his weapon low, he altered the angle of his sword so it was pointing towards the floor at a slant. As he redirected Visaelya's strike he then pivoted and whirled around, bringing himself full circle and landing a solid blow right on her back. The strike was just hard enough to knock her off her feet but do no lasting harm; at most she'd have a bruise that would fade within a few days or so.

"Match!" called Instructor Iemon, "Itachi wins!"

Visaelya shook her head furiously. "No! I want another round!"

Iemon shot her down. "You know the rules, Miss Drakken; a student can only be challenged once per day. If you wish to fight Itachi again, then you will have to be the first one to call him out during tomorrow's session."

She hung her head in defeat. "Damn it!"

Lowering his practice sword, Itachi held out his hand. "If you do wish to challenge me again tomorrow, I will accept. You fought very well, Visaelya. Can you stand?"

She glared at him, defiance burning in her eyes. "I don't need your pity, Itachi!"

"I would never deign to insult you with pity," Itachi replied, "Am I not allowed to be concerned for a fellow student?"

She brushed his hand aside and stood up on her own. "I don't need your _concern_ , either."

 _ **Like I said; you're too soft.**_

 _Perhaps, but that is_ my _decision to make, not yours._

As Visaelya looked him in the eye, he could see fresh determination blazing. "I _will_ challenge you again tomorrow, Itachi, and not just in Zanjutsu. You'd best be prepared!"

Itachi nodded. "I will, so long as you are as well."

She looked like she was going to offer some harsh retort, but seemed to think better of it. Instead she simply huffed and turned her back on him before rejoining the friends she'd been sitting with earlier.

 _What was all that about?_ , he thought as he returned to his spot on the sidelines next to Jiraiya, _Did I do something recently to anger her and she's trying to seek redress through single combat?_

 _ **I doubt it's anything like that. You're not the type to go out of his way to anger a woman.**_

 _Then what do you propose lies at the root of this? I'm open to suggestions._

 _ **Her family name, for starters. Remember, she is not only a member of the Drakken Clan of the Five Great Noble Houses, but she is also the niece of none other than Squad Ten Captain Rhaegon Drakken. No doubt there are great expectations placed upon her as a result of her heritage. It is not enough for her to excel in the advanced track; she must challenge your dominance for the sake of her family's honor and pride. At least, I suspect that she sees things that way.**_

Itachi had to admit that her arguments made sense. He knew a thing or two about prideful families given his background, after all, and he also knew what it was like trying to live up to the high hopes of prominent elders. Even as friction had grown between the Uchiha Clan and the rest of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, they were still a formidable family with power and influence. In that respect, Visaelya's circumstances weren't all that different from Itachi's back when he was alive.

 _Except for the part where I turned against my family and slaughtered them in a single night…_

He was jolted out of his musings by a friendly elbow from Jiraiya. "What's eating you? Don't tell me you're actually worried about her challenging you again. You handled her pretty well today; no reason you can't pull off a repeat performance."

Itachi shook her head. "It's not that. I'm just not sure about how this is all going to play out. This situation could get… volatile."

Jiraiya smiled. "Or it could be fun! You never really had a rival when you were going through your training as a kid, right?"

"There was Shisui," Itachi replied, "Although that was more an instance of friendly competition, I suppose. Visaelya doesn't appear to be interested in that, though."

"So roll with it," said Jiraiya, "If she's gonna make a habit of gunning for you from now on, it'll keep you on your toes. Besides, she's pretty easy on the eyes; you could definitely have worse rivals!"

"Why am I not surprised that you brought her looks into this?" Itachi deadpanned.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Ah, you know me so well! Look, don't overthink this. Whether you wanted it or not, you've picked up a rival here. Accept it and move forward accordingly."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do I do that?"

"Keep training and be ready to fight her!" Jiraiya answered with a grin, "I'll be rooting for you, buddy!"

 _How did I land myself in this situation?_

 _ **Well, for starters, you died.**_

 _Very funny._

….

 **One week later…**

 _Credit where it's due_ , thought Itachi as he ducked a punch from Visaelya, _she does not give up easily…_

In the week since she had first challenged him in their Zanjutsu class, Visaelya had been as good as her word. Not only had she challenged him every single day afterwards in their swordsmanship class, but she had extended that to their Hakuda sessions as well, and if their Kidō and Hohō classes had a means of allowing for one-on-one challenges Itachi was certain that she would've called him out in them as well.

He respected her determination if nothing else; she was clearly quite driven to best him, and she was putting a great deal of effort into it. During every class exercise, she was working herself harder than practically everyone else in the advanced track, and no one could deny the strides that she was making. Her skills seemed to grow more refined with each passing day, and Itachi actually found himself grateful for that; it was just another reason for him to push himself harder.

 _Jiraiya was right about having a rival not necessarily being a bad thing_ , he mused as he brought up his arms to block a series of blows, _I'll never admit that to his face, of course._

As much as he might admire Visaelya's spirit, though, that did not mean that Itachi intended to let her win. If she wanted a victory over him, then he would make her work for it. The eyes of more than just their instructors and fellow students were on them, after all; the thought of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads evaluating them and sizing them up was never far from his mind.

Especially the Captain of Squad Two.

Yoruichi was a legend in the Soul Society for her skills in both Hohō and Hakuda, which made Itachi all the more determined to give standout showings in those classes. If he could excel in the areas that she had achieved such mastery in, it would only improve his chances of getting into her division upon graduation. Of course, Itachi wasn't neglecting the other aspects of his studies just to get the most out of those two areas of expertise, but he was keenly aware of the emphasis that Squad Two put on them.

Ducking and weaving through Visaelya's punches and kicks, Itachi found the opening he'd been looking for and took it. As Visaelya made a powerful right hook, Itachi grabbed her arm and flung her forwards, turning her momentum against her. She landed flat on her back, winded but otherwise unharmed. The young woman blinked a few times as if she was still trying to process just how suddenly the tables had been turned on her.

"Did I… lose again?" she asked, although it felt like she was talking to herself rather than Itachi.

He held out his hand. "You did well, but you're overly aggressive. It leaves you vulnerable to more experienced fighters."

She glared up at him. "And is that why you beat me? You're more experienced than me? I find that hard to believe considering that we're both in the same Academy year."

Itachi nodded. "And I imagine that you also believed that the early training you would receive as a member of the Drakken Clan would give you a further boost. Does that sound about right?"

Her eyes widened. "How did you know about that?"

"It's an open secret that the offspring of the Five Great Noble Houses have access to private tutors, and that their families employ them in order to avoid the embarrassment of one of their children failing to make it through the Academy," Itachi replied, "I had help from one of those very tutors when I was recovering from that incident back in our first year."

Visaelya scowled. "It was a Shihōin Clan tutor, right? We all know that the Squad Two Captain favors you. She has since the entrance exams!"

"Because I proved to her before the exams ever started that I had the abilities she sought," said Itachi, "So did Jiraiya. Do you know why that is?"

Visaelya looked a bit taken aback at his line of questioning. "No… what was it?"

"You were born in the Soul Society, Visaelya," said Itachi, "I imagine that the same is true for many of our classmates. Jiraiya and I, though… we were not."

Her face paled slightly. "So… you died, then? In one of the Realms of the Living?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… and they weren't peaceful deaths for either of us."

He reached down and pulled her to her feet before she could refuse him. When her eyes met his again he saw that she no longer appeared angry. Instead she seemed more curious than anything else as she looked back and forth between him and Jiraiya.

"So… the two of you died in battle, then?" she asked.

 _Technically, mine was disease_ , he mused, _but that was further exacerbated by my violent lifestyle, and when I succumbed it was during the duel with Sasuke, so I suppose that's splitting hairs._

"Yes," he said, "but before that, we had engaged more than our share of foes. You have wondered why the two of us rose so swiftly in our classes despite not having a background like yours. The answer is experience. There is no training that can ever match an actual life-and-death fight. I suppose you could say that we had our own little advantage coming into the Academy, but it is not one that we were born into. We _earned_ our strength… and we are not done building it yet."

Visaelya's gaze hardened. "My strength is not something that was given to me just because of my bloodline. The power of the Drakken Clan is strong, but it is only strong because its members strive to attain true mastery of combat! Do not mistake me for someone who cannot stand on her own without the power of her bloodline!"

Itachi shook his head. "Forgive me if I gave you that impression. You are obviously quite strong; the past week has amply demonstrated that. If you continue your training with the dedication and passion that you have shown so far, then I have no doubt that you will bring honor to the Drakken Clan."

Some of the tension in her demeanor seemed to ease up, and her hostility faded. "I… I appreciate that… Itachi."

Itachi gave her a respectful nod. "If you wish to challenge me again in order to test and improve your skills, you know where to find me. I will not turn you down. In exchange, I will ask only one thing."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"

"Let go of your anger, and keep your pride in check," Itachi replied, "When you let them rule you, they undermine your skills. If you're able to master them, then I think you'll find that your abilities will make a considerable leap forward."

After a moment she nodded. "I'll keep that in mind… thank you."

"You're welcome," he said before he returned to his spot on the sidelines next to Jiraiya.

The Legendary Sannin smiled. "You handled that pretty well. I'm impressed; never really saw you as the diplomatic type back when you were alive."

"I'm sure," Itachi deadpanned, "I never gave you reason to, after all."

 _ **That was your old life. Remember that this is not just your afterlife now; it is a**_ **second** _ **life. Use it to become who you were meant to be.**_

Itachi could stop a small smile from appearing on his face. _That's quite encouraging, coming from you._

 _ **Well, I do have a vested interest in your self-improvement.**_

 _That you do…_

….

 **One week later…**

Soi-Fon raised her eyebrow as she finished reading the notice Yoruichi had given to her. "A joint operation with Squad Ten… and the Academy students will be involved as well? Lady Yoruichi, I know it's not my place to question the Head Captain, but still… is this wise?"

That was something Yoruichi had actually been wondering herself. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have concerns. Still, I can see the merits behind it."

"Mind if I take a look at that?" asked Kisuke.

Soi-Fon scowled at him, but a nod from Yoruichi was enough to make her relent and pass the sheet over to him. The Squad Two Captain saw her old friend smirk as he reviewed the notice, which she took as a good sign; that usually meant that Kisuke felt that a certain course of action was worth pursuing.

"Interesting," he said, "Possible large-scale Hollow nest just outside the eastern borders of the Rukon District… well, I can see why the old man wants this to be a joint operation."

"That much I can understand," said Soi-Fon, "but Academy students have no place in a mission like this. The level of danger involved is beyond what they're ready for."

Yoruichi smiled. "Not necessarily… at least, not for all of them. The Head Captain specifically ordered for students in the advanced track only to be brought in, and even then, only the ones in the top tier of the fourth, fifth, and sixth years. I can think of two who fit the bill nicely."

Kisuke nodded. "I agree. I think it's about time the two of them had another chance to shine in the field. They did quite well last time around, and I imagine they've only improved since then."

Soi-Fon sighed. "I have no doubt that Itachi and Jiraiya have both made progress with their training, but this may be too much even for them."

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. They can do this. They're ready for it, and I'm willing to bet that most of the other advanced track students that get picked for this mission will be as well."

Kisuke smiled. "Faith in the next generation… it's a beautiful thing. Of course, we need to make sure that they survive long enough to earn that faith first."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're right about that. I'll do everything I can for them, and I know you both will too. However, it won't be just us overseeing them this time… and that worries me."

"Why?" asked Soi-Fon, "I know Captain Drakken's family is a rival to yours, but you've never been particularly worried about that in the past."

"I'm not," she replied, "Rhaegon, on the other hand… he might be a problem."

Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that? He has a pretty solid track record in the field. There might be some family friction there, but nothing that we can't work around."

Yoruichi sighed. "I'm not so sure. The Drakken Clan has always been prideful, and while that's to be expected of any of the Five Great Noble Houses, they take it a bit too far. Rhaegon never misses a chance to show off, and if he brings his _pet_ along for this mission then that'll only exacerbate things. He could end up putting the students at risk."

"His own niece would be among them, though," Soi-Fon pointed out, "He wouldn't do anything to put her in danger… would he?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Hard to say. I don't know how close Rhaegon is with his siblings or their children. I'd like to think that having a niece in the fray would act as a restraint on his more hot-headed tendencies, but it might just further feed his ego."

"What do you want to do?" asked Kisuke, "Have you considered talking to the Head Captain about it?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "This is an official order, which means the old man's not changing his mind. These are the cards we've been dealt, so we just need to play them the best we can. Besides, it won't just be Squads Two and Ten; according to those orders, Squad Four's also dispatching one of their relief teams to provide rear echelon support. If something goes wrong, at least we'll have some qualified healers nearby. It won't be the same as having Unohana with us, but it's better than nothing."

Soi-Fon nodded. "So be it. Who all do you want on this mission, Lady Yoruichi?"

"You and Kisuke for sure," she replied, "I'll round up several of our top tier officers to cover our bases."

Kisuke smirked. "If they're top tier, then that means we're leaving our dear Lieutenant out of it, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. We're gonna have enough on our plate without Ōmaeda strutting about like he owns the place. I'll saddle him with garrison duty; if I put him in charge of managing training drills for our reserves, we can slip away without him causing too much of a fuss."

Kisuke chuckled. "Sounds good to me! It's always nice to leave him out of the action and then watch him squirm when we hint about what happened afterwards."

Yoruichi laughed. "That's true! Maybe we've been a bit too rough on him in the past… but, then again, with how pompous and stuck-up he acts, he kind of deserves it."

Soi-Fon's brow furrowed in thought. "If we're bringing our best officers… then does that mean our new Tenth Seat will be along for the ride?"

"That's right," said Yoruichi, "He's already proven his worth in the past, after all, so it's time to break him into his new rank. What's up, Soi-Fon?"

"When Itachi passed the entrance exams and first started at the Academy, our Tenth Seat was Fourteenth back then," she said, "You told me back then that you wanted to wait until graduation to properly introduce him to Itachi, and that didn't change even after Itachi suffered the soul fracture. If we bring him on this mission now, there's a good chance that they'll meet."

Yoruichi nodded. "I know. I'd been hoping to keep him as a little surprise to spring on Itachi once I learned that they knew each other, but it's out of my hands now. We're going to need as many qualified officers and enlisted on deck as we can get for this one, and he's got more than his share of talent. He's coming along, which means Itachi's going to meet him early. That's all there is to it."

"Understood, Lady Yoruichi," Soi-Fon replied.

Kisuke smiled. "Well, if nothing else, at least that'll be interesting to see. I wonder how he's gonna take it…"

Yoruichi shrugged. "We'll find out tomorrow when the mission starts. In the meantime, we've got a lot of prep-work ahead of us, so let's get to it!"

….

 **The next day…**

"So," said Jiraiya as he looked around the lecture hall, "any idea what's going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine at this point," Itachi replied.

They had only just arrived at their first class of the day when the instructor had ordered them to go to a different room. While their teacher had assured them that they weren't in trouble, Itachi was more than a little concerned about the fact that the instructor had not offered any further information. Upon their arrival, they had recognized a few other members of their particular class already in the room, and a handful more had shown up since then. Other students were in the room as well, but not enough to bring it to full capacity.

 _They're all advanced track students_ , he thought as he studied them, _and they're all from either our year or the ones ahead of ours. If the ones I recognize from our class are any indication, they're bringing only the top students from each advanced track group from years four, five and six to this room. The question is why…_

He was surprised to see Visaelya approach him. When he met her gaze, he was relieved to see that she wasn't as tense as she'd been whenever she challenged him to a fight; she appeared to be 'lightening up a bit' as Jiraiya often put it.

"I take it the two of you are just as much in the dark as I am," she said, "Am I wrong?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, you're not. I was hoping you might have some insight into all of this, but it seems I was mistaken."

"At least we're on equal grounds here, then," she said as she looked around, "None of my friends have shown up here, but based on the faces I've seen it appears that only the very best of our class have been selected; the elite of the elite, as it were."

"So it would seem," said Jiraiya, "Maybe it's a pop quiz for us hotshots."

"I'm not seeing a proctor for an exam," said Itachi as he scanned the room again, "Of course, they may not show up until we're all assembled."

Visaelya shook her head. "I don't think they're going through all this trouble for a paper test, especially if the top tier students from the fifth and sixth year advanced tracks have also been brought in. They've got something else in mind."

Itachi nodded. "I agree."

Jiraiya smirked. "You two actually agreeing on something? I think that's a first!"

Visaelya folded her arms. "I may consider Itachi to be my competition in our class, but I respect him enough that I would be willing to concur with him should his point be valid. I'm glad to see that he seems to share the same level of maturity and mutual regard. I couldn't care less about _your_ thoughts on the matter, Jiraiya the Perv Author!"

Jiraiya scowled. "Perv Author? You take that back! I'll have you know, young lady, that I'm a highly accomplished novelist! My series has been at the top of the Seireitei's best seller list since it made its debut!"

"Only because the masses are easily amused by the cheap smut you peddle!" Visaelya scoffed.

"Cheap smut?" Jiraiya replied incredulously, "It's a romantic-comedy series with no rival in the Soul Society! You just have no taste for good literature!"

Visaelya glared at him. "I'll have you know that I have _excellent_ tastes when it comes to reading material! They just happen to be far too refined for a lout like you to properly comprehend."

 _If these are my teammates for this mission, then my sanity may not survive…_

 _ **At least they'll be good for entertainment.**_

 _Glad to see_ one _of us is able to find the silver lining…_

The two of them were interrupted by the classroom door opening a moment later. Rather than one of the Academy instructors, Itachi was surprised to see none other than Yoruichi and Soi-Fon walk into the lecture hall.

Visaelya's eyes widened, and hers were hardly the only ones to do so. "Captain Shihōin? What is the meaning of this?"

"That's what I'd like to know," muttered Jiraiya, "Well, I guess that throws 'pop quiz' out the window."

"Indeed," Itachi murmured, his heartbeat picking up ever so slightly; he _highly_ doubted Squad Two's Captain and her bodyguard had shown up just to administer a paper test.

Something much more interesting was in the works.

Yoruichi immediately caught Itachi's gaze and gave him a friendly smile and wink. He gave her a small nod in return while at the same time trying to figure out just why his face felt a little bit warmer all of the sudden.

 _ **You're an idiot.**_

 _I wasn't asking for your input._

 _ **That doesn't change the fact that I'm right.**_

Itachi didn't bother to respond; there was no point in trying to argue with her when she got like this. She would enjoy it more than anything else, and Itachi had much more important things on his mind than trying to take down the spirit of his Zanpakutō in a test of verbal barbs.

The assembled students ceased their chatter as Yoruichi addressed them. "Good morning, everyone! Sorry for the manner in which we dragged you out of your regular classes, but this came down the pipe rather quickly. Time is of the essence, something that you'll find is all too common once you graduate and join the rest of us on active duty."

She then nodded at Soi-Fon, who stepped forward. "When you become a Soul Reaper, you can be called upon at any time to take part in an operation. You must be constantly prepared for such an event, so consider this a taste of what's to come should you complete your education."

Yoruichi nodded. "Well said. Now, we're on the clock, so I'll jump right to the chase; you're all the best of your respective classes, and we're going to put you to the test in the field. Today, Squads Two and Ten will be conducting a joint operation just outside the eastern borders of the Rukon District, and you're coming along for the ride. A group of Hollows have set up a little nest in the foothills out there, and it's our job to clear them out!"

A collective gasp went out from most of the students. Itachi couldn't blame them. It wasn't unheard of for students to take on Hollows before graduation; the Konsō exercise from the year before was proof enough of that. However, for students to be asked to participate in a clear-out operation was another thing entirely.

 _And it's a joint operation on top of that_ , he thought, _I guess we've either impressed the Thirteen Court Guard Squads significantly enough for them to desire to test us in the field, or they're short on manpower. The only way to find out for sure will be to get on site and see what forces they have assembled apart from us._

"The Hollows have taken up residence in a network of caves beneath the foothills that's rather expansive," Yoruichi continued, "Our objective is to take them all down. While the frontline fighters will all be active duty Soul Reapers, there will also be reserves stationed outside the caves to intercept any Hollows that attempt to flee. Given the nature of the environment will be operating in, it's more than likely that some will evade us in the caves and be able to make a break for the surface. That's where you come in; you'll be operating with the reserves to hold the perimeter and make sure that none of them slip through our net."

"You will not be expected to act on your own," Soi-Fon added, "You will be divided up and placed under the supervision of active duty Soul Reapers. Pay attention to their instructions, follow their lead, and you will make it through this operation alive."

Yoruichi nodded. "I won't mince words; this will be a dangerous mission. We'll do what we can to minimize the risk to you students, but out in the field it's impossible to guarantee complete safety. That being said, missions like this are what you all have been training for. Remember all that you've been taught up to this point, listen to the Soul Reapers that are supervising you, and you'll be all right."

 _So it's not entirely different from search and elimination missions that Shinobi might conduct_ , thought Itachi, _Hollows may not be the same kind of prey as humans, but some of my old training should come in handy nonetheless._

"All right, then," said Yoruichi, "We've got a lot of ground to cover before we get to the mission site, and we don't have all day. Let's get moving!"

….

Yoruichi hadn't been exaggerating regarding the distance to the area where the mission was taking place. It was true that it was just outside the eastern borders of the Rukon District, but given that the City of Wandering Souls was in fact larger than several small _countries_ that Itachi had seen in the Shinobi World, getting to the site within a day was still no small feat. Even with his improved proficiency in the art of Shunpo, covering so much ground so quickly was hardly an easy task. It had been early morning when Yoruichi had informed Itachi and the other students of their mission, but by the time they actually reached the general region where the mission was to take place it was already mid-afternoon.

 _So_ , he thought as the group finally came to a stop, _this is where the Rukon District ends…_

 _…and The Wild begins._

As mind-bogglingly vast as the Rukon District was, it was _not_ the whole Soul Society. _Far_ from it, in fact. The Rukon District, and the Seireitei within, were merely the most densely populated areas in the Soul Society, and in actuality were just a very small fraction of the realm that made up the afterlife. While there were other inhabited regions in the Soul Society, most notably the Principalities, the ancestral homelands of the Five Great Noble Houses and their vassals, the grand bulk of the land was actually unclaimed wilderness.

 _Vast_ unclaimed wilderness.

It was one thing to see it briefly presented on maps or in paintings in the classroom, but quite another to actually step outside the Rukon District and into it. True, they were only on the very edge, but even here Itachi could feel the difference. The Seireitei was nice, but even then, it still held some of the same crowded vibe that seemed to permeate the Rukon District. Just stepping beyond its borders and onto the frontier was like suddenly getting blasted with an onrushing gale of fresh air. Suddenly there were no more buildings around them, no throngs of people milling about.

There was _green_ , and so much of it. They were atop a small hill, but even that modest vantage point was enough to slam home to Itachi just how _massive_ the world beyond the Rukon District truly was. Mountains were visible just over the horizon, but the expanse before them was a majestic tapestry of trees and plains almost as far as the eye could see. There was nothing manmade in sight; this was _nature_ in all its glory and more.

"It's something else, isn't it?" said a familiar female voice from just over his shoulder.

Itachi turned and saw Yoruichi come up next to him. A knowing smile was on her face, as if his reaction was just what she'd been expecting.

All Itachi could do was nod. "That's… one way to put it."

Jiraiya whistled. "No kidding. Haven't seen something like this in quite some time."

"Beautiful…" said Visaelya softly, "I heard stories, but I never knew…"

"That's right, I almost forgot," said Yoruichi, "You're Captain Drakken's niece, right? You've spent your whole life up until now inside the Seireitei, haven't you?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes. I always wanted to go beyond… journey across The Wild along the Great East Road to our clan's Principality… but I was never allowed to do so. My parents told me the trip would be long and dangerous, and that it would be better to complete my training before undertaking it."

"They're not wrong," said Yoruichi, "Taking a trip across The Wild is not something to be done lightly. Hollows are much more numerous out there; their Gargantas commonly bring them into the Soul Society through various entry points in the wilderness, and it's from there that they begin to converge on the Rukon District, assuming they're not drawn towards one of the independent settlements. Hollows aren't the only beasts to worry about out there, either; there are plenty of dangerous creatures that make their homes in The Wild, and they're viciously territorial. As if running that gauntlet weren't bad enough, there are also the various bandit tribes and marauders that are on the loose beyond the borders of the Rukon District."

"It wasn't always that way, though, right?" asked Itachi, "Our classes have made the occasional reference to ruins out there that would indicate prior habitation, but they didn't go into much detail; they considered them to be part of a past better left forgotten."

Yoruichi sighed. "I should've known that's what your teachers would tell you. The truth's substantially more complicated; your instructors prefer the sanitized version. Not that they have much of a choice in the matter."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "We don't really have time to go in-depth on that right now. Once you've all graduated and proven yourselves… well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

As if on cue, Soi-Fon appeared in front of them via Shunpo a moment later. "Lady Yoruichi, I've made contact with our advanced teams. Third Seat Urahara is ready for you, and Squad Ten is on site."

Yoruichi nodded. "I see. Did you make contact with Captain Drakken as well?"

Soi-Fon grimaced at the Squad Ten Captain's name. "I did…"

Yoruichi smirked. "Let me guess; he was his usual self?"

Soi-Fon groaned. "To put it charitably. With all due respect, Lady Yoruichi, _must_ we work with him on this mission?"

Yoruichi gave her subordinate a sympathetic smile. "That's the way it's gotta be this time around. I know it's rough, but we've gotta roll with it. Is Squad Four's support team on site?"

"Yes," she said, "According to Kisuke, they arrived just before I did."

"Good," said Yoruichi, "With them around to provide medical aid, we should be able to mitigate any potential disasters. Since they'll be charged with healing Soul Reapers from both squads, that should give Captain Drakken additional incentive to exercise caution to make sure that they're protected. Hopefully that will serve to rein in his overconfidence."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Understood, Lady Yoruichi."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter? I beg your pardon, Captain Shihōin, but I fail to see how working with Captain Drakken could be as bad as your subordinate is making it out to be. He is an esteemed member of my clan, and has earned his position just as much as you have!"

Yoruichi nodded. "I never said that he didn't have the skills to go with his rank. He didn't become a Captain just because of his bloodline; he put in the work required for the position. However… Visaelya, was it? What's your personal experience with the man? He is your uncle, so I wouldn't be going out on a limb by saying you've encountered him at family gatherings and other such occasions from time to time, right?"

"Yes," Visaelya replied, "I've met him several times. He is proud and confident, as well he should be given his skill and power. At the same time, though, he is also a man of refinement and high-standing."

"How did he treat you?" asked Yoruichi, "I'm assuming he did interact with you on a personal level from time to time."

Visaelya's brow furrowed in thought. "Well, he was friendly enough. Perhaps… _slightly_ condescending, but given his position when compared to mine, I think that could be forgiven. I do recall more than one occasion where he said that I showed considerable promise, although… well, I don't know if he was actually taking me seriously at the time."

Yoruichi sighed. "Yeah… that sounds like him on a good day. Since you're his niece, you get the relatively pleasant side of him. Those of us that are outside the Drakken Clan… well, let's just say that he can test one's goodwill."

"Will he be a problem?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shook her head. "You students are under Squad Two's supervision, so you shouldn't have to worry about him."

"That's good," said Jiraiya, "It sounds like he can be a bit of a handful."

Visaelya scowled at him. "You are in no position to criticize a member of my clan! His abilities shall prove all naysayers wrong… no disrespect intended, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi smiled. "It's all right. Your loyalty to your family speaks highly of you, Visaelya. Still, take a bit of advice from a fellow noble; don't let that loyalty become unconditional. Family is important, but so is being able to judge individuals on their own merits. You can respect them while still being aware of their faults."

Visaelya nodded. "I'll keep that in mind… thank you, Captain Shihōin."

"Anytime," she replied, "All right, let's pick up the pace. We don't want to keep our dear friends in Squad Ten waiting."

It actually only took about a half an hour or so for them to arrive at the exact mission site. Itachi spotted a broad clearing up ahead, and he could sense multiple presences with higher than average amounts of spirit energy. Sure enough, gathered before the foothills at the end of the clearing were scores of Soul Reapers gathered in what appeared to be a hastily made encampment, and it didn't take long for Itachi to find Squad Ten's Captain.

 _So that's the man they call the Sunfire Dragon_ , he mused, _I don't know what his abilities are, but the amount of spiritual pressure that he's suppressing is substantial._

A tall man with an athletic yet slightly slender build, Rhaegon Drakken certainly had the air of an individual who fully embraced their noble heritage. With light skin unmarred by so much as a single blemish, vibrant violet eyes, and shoulder-length silver-blond hair, he was an exemplary physical specimen of his bloodline. There was more than enough family resemblance for Itachi to easily connect him to Visaelya, to the point that if he didn't know better he might actually assume that he was her father rather than her uncle. His bearing was just like Visaelya had described; proud and confident. He wore his Soul Reaper uniform and Captain's haori as if they were his birthright, and there was a rather possessive manner in which his hand hovered over the dark red handle of his Zanpakutō. The weapon's gleaming silver circular guard seemed like it was just tailor made to match the man's locks; it certainly looked as immaculate as them.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "That's him? He looks more like an actor than a Captain. Did he get lost on the way to the stage?"

"Don't take him lightly," Itachi murmured, "Play the fool if you want, but I know you can sense his spiritual pressure just as well as I can."

Visaelya scowled at Jiraiya. "Insolent oaf…"

Yoruichi actually giggled. "You're not the first person I've met to have that reaction. If I didn't know better, I might act the same way. He certainly takes his sweet time making sure he looks the part of the pretty boy before a mission."

"Pride in one's appearance is all well and good, but he's a Captain," Soi-Fon muttered, "He should focus less on his looks and more on keeping his division in line!"

Observing the assembled Soul Reapers, Itachi suspected that Soi-Fon was onto something. While there was nothing particularly egregious about their behavior, they did seem a little too laid-back considering that they were gathered right at the mouth of a Hollow nest. Confidence and maintain composure was one thing, but to Itachi's well-trained eyes it seemed as though they were barely bothering with even basic perimeter security. There were patrols and sentries posted, but it wasn't hard to find gaps in their coverage.

 _Perhaps I'm being too harsh_ , he thought as he took another look around, _I'm evaluating their defenses based on how a trained Shinobi like myself might infiltrate their ranks, but they're not here to face human opponents; they're up against Hollows. The beasts are intelligent, but subtlety is hardly their calling card. The way the patrols here are set up should be sufficient to spot incoming Hollows from the most likely approach vectors._

"Hey, there!" called a familiar voice, "Glad you all could make it!"

Itachi saw Kisuke step out of the crowd and approach them a moment later. He and his fellow students hung back as Yoruichi and Soi-Fon came forward to meet him.

"What's the situation?" asked Yoruichi, "Please tell me Drakken hasn't sent anyone in yet."

Kisuke smiled. "We got lucky; he's exercising some restraint today. He didn't bring his _pet_ either, so there's another bit of good news for you."

Soi-Fon sighed with relief. "This might actually go well, then."

Yoruichi nodded. "Glad to hear it. Sorry for making you deal with him for so long. You know that there's only so fast I can go while keeping an eye on the students."

"I know," Kisuke replied, "I'm not worried about it, but you know how Drakken is. Hope you're ready."

Yoruichi shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be."

She then turned to the students. "I want you all to wait here with Kisuke, all right? Soi-Fon and I are going to meet with Captain Drakken for some last-minute planning before we begin the operation. We'll be back before you know it!"

"Do not leave this area!" Soi-Fon ordered, "Remember that just beyond the border of this encampment is a Hollow nest, and we don't know if all of them are still in there or if some are sneaking around nearby. Remain here unless you want to become their next meal, is that clear?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Now there's some motivational speaking for you."

Soi-Fon scowled at him. "Take this seriously, Jiraiya!"

The sage raised his hands in mock-surrender. "All right, all right! I'll behave myself, little lady!"

" _Excuse me?_ " she growled in reply, "You'd better…"

"Come on, Soi-Fon," Yoruichi interrupted, "I know you're not eager to meet with Drakken, but we really need to get this over with."

Soi-Fon shot one more glare at Jiraiya before turning to follow her Captain. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi. Forgive me."

Itachi shook his head as the two of them departed. "What is it with you and women? Do you try to push their buttons on purpose, or does it just come naturally to you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "What can I say? It's a gift!"

"Hardly the word I would use for it," Visaelya scoffed.

Jiraiya shrugged. "Give it time, Little Miss Vissy. It might just grow on you."

She folded her arms. "After putting up with it for the past four years, I can assure you that it most certainly will _not_."

As the two of them traded barbs, Itachi turned his attention back to the encampment. Members of Squads Two and Ten intermingled freely as they continued their preparations for the mission, although he could detect a slight edge just beneath the surface. It wasn't hostility, but there did seem to be a mild undercurrent of rivalry between the two groups.

 _I wonder if that's due to their respective Captains coming from different Great Noble Houses_ , he mused, _All the Squad Two members that I've met so far seem quite loyal to Yoruichi, so perhaps it's the same with regards to Squad Ten and Captain Drakken. Hopefully it won't interfere with the mission._

It was as he passively scanned the assembled Soul Reapers that Itachi nearly gave himself a heart attack. He caught a glimpse of the back of one particular Soul Reaper's head, and it looked very familiar.

 _Black hair, unkempt but not wild… that profile… it can't be…_

He was startled by Jiraiya putting his hand on his shoulders. "Hey, are you all right?"

Itachi silently cursed the momentary distraction; that split-second was all that particular Soul Reaper had needed to slip back into the crowd. Try as he might, Itachi could not find him again.

"Am I imagining things?" he muttered.

Jiraiya gave him a nudge. "Soul Society to Itachi! What's up?"

"Are you okay?" asked Visaelya, "You look like you've seen a ghost... although in our line of work I suppose that's actually to be expected."

Itachi shook his head, his gaze still roving over the crowd. "It's nothing."

 _I'm hallucinating. That's got to be it._

 _ **Why can't it be more? You are dead, after all, and so is he. Would meeting here really be so unlikely?**_

 _Given the sheer size of the Soul Society, quite so._

 _ **Stranger things have happened. Just look at yourself, for example.**_

 _A fair point. Still…_

After a few more minutes of scanning the crowd, Itachi gave up and tried to push what he assumed to be no more than an apparition from his mind. He had a mission to focus on, and he could not afford to be distracted by ghosts of the past.

….

"Ah, Captain Shihōin," said Rhaegon with that oh-so-familiar-and-annoying arrogant drawl, "How kind of you to finally join us. I was beginning to wonder if your title of Flash Goddess was misplaced for all the time it took you to reach us here. I mean, even the Squad Four relief team managed to beat you!"

 _Do not punch_ , Yoruichi silently told herself as she and Soi-Fon approached him, _do not punch, do not punch, do not punch…_

"A pleasure as always, Captain Drakken," she replied with a smile that carried more than a hint of steel behind it, "How kind of _you_ to have actually held position instead as the Head Captain instructed instead of charging blindly into the caves and leaving the healers defenseless."

"While I would never go so far as to blatantly defy Head Captain Yamamoto, I cannot help but question his wisdom in this regard," said Rhaegon, "This is a simple clear-out mission, one no different than those that Squad Ten has handled in the past. I do not believe that a joint operation is required."

"Your pride in the abilities of your division is commendable," said Yoruichi with a smirk, "but surely you're wise enough to know that there is more to this than just a simple clear-out operation. These Hollows have nested quite close to the Rukon District, so it's imperative that we be thorough and root them all out before they're able to further expand their numbers and attack. Two divisions are better than one in that regard. Having a relief team from Squad Four on hand just in case things get dicey is a bonus."

Rhaegon sighed. "Perhaps so, but still… was bringing along the students really necessary? I'm sure they're a talented lot, particularly my niece, but I fear that they may only get in the way here."

"These aren't just any students, and you know that," Yoruichi countered, "These are the best and brightest advanced track students from the fourth, fight, and sixth year classes. They've earned the right to test their skills in the field and prove themselves. They may surprise you."

Rhaegon nodded. "Well, seeing as we'll have them operating in reserve as opposed to being part of the forward strike force, I suppose they may yet make themselves useful. We do need the extra manpower to cover all the cave entrances, after all."

"My scouts should've helped your division map them all out by now," said Yoruichi, "Are you ready to move in?"

Rhaegon smiled. "Yes. Thanks to the advanced team you sent along, the main tunnel has been located. You and I will lead our primary force through there, while our lower tier officers will position teams outside of the secondary passages to intercept any Hollows that attempt to flee."

Yoruichi grinned. "We'll be the spear, and they'll be the net. Simple, yet effective. The best plans always are."

Rhaegon chuckled. "Indeed. I know we've had our differences in the past, thanks in no small part to the Great Noble Houses that we hail from, but I must say that I am looking forward to fighting alongside you again, Captain Shihōin. Your clan may be a bunch of desert cats, but at the very least _you_ are a lioness with fearsome claws and fangs."

Yoruichi smirked as she folded her arms. "And _your_ clan might be a bunch of lounging seaside lizards, but _you've_ at least got the talent that's worthy of the name Sunfire Dragon."

The proud Captain laughed. "Nice to see your wit remains as sharp as your Zanpakutō! Now, let us go put these beasts down."

Yoruichi nodded before turning to her bodyguard. "Soi-Fon, go and round up our officers. Let them know the operation's about to begin and to get to their positions."

"Understood, Lady Yoruichi," she replied before heading off.

"Lieutenant Dorel!" Rhaegon called.

Squad Ten's second in command, Obran Dorel, stepped forward a moment later. The second borne son of the Dorel noble clan, a less powerful but still respected family, he cut a rather dashing figure. The Dorel house's ancestral homelands were in the southeast, and it showed in Obran's olive skin, dark brown eyes, and black hair. He possessed a well-trimmed mustache and a neat, thin beard, all of which added to that roguish air that Yoruichi knew he loved to put on. Like his Captain, his build was slender but athletic, and Yoruichi had seen him perform enough times at the annual Blade Dancer Festival to know that he was no slouch in combat. His Zanpakutō was a standard-length katana with a crimson hilt and a yellow-orange guard.

"Captain Drakken," he said before smiling at Yoruichi, "Captain Shihōin! What a pleasure to see you again. I do hope my Captain provided at least a courteous welcome."

Yoruichi smiled in return; the Dorel house did not share the Drakken clan's rivalry with her family, and even if it had she knew Obran well enough on a professional level that the two of them got along just fine. "As much as can be expected from him."

Obran chuckled before turning back to his Captain. "Of course. What do you need, Captain?"

"Go find Third Seat Shiba," Rhaegon commanded, "Tell him to get everyone ready. We'll be moving out shortly. Report back to me when you're done."

Obran nodded. "Very well. Consider it done."

Rhaegon smirked and shook his head after his Lieutenant had left. "A bit too insolent for a man of his position, but he does know how to get the job done."

Yoruichi chuckled. "The fact that you're married to his little sister doesn't hurt either, right?"

Rhaegon nodded. "No, it does not. Although I may be a bit too lenient with him thanks to her influence…"

Yoruichi shrugged; that was his business, not hers. "Whatever you say. Time to go to work!"

….

"Check it out," said Jiraiya, nodding towards the center of the encampment, "I think it's almost showtime."

Following the sage's gaze, Itachi could see signs of increased activity. Most of the senior officers of Squad Two and Squad Ten were assembling, as were the rank and file. The Soul Reapers from Squad Four were still setting up the medical field aid station, although some of them had dropped what they were doing to observe the gathering. He spotted Yoruichi step out of the crowd and approach them a moment later, and the serious look on her face was all Itachi needed to know that Jiraiya's guess was right on the money.

"Hey, everyone," she said as she drew near, "Sorry about the wait. I want you all to follow me, okay? Pay close attention to Captain Drakken and I, all right? We're only going to go over this once, so stay sharp!"

She motioned for the students to follow her. Together they went to the middle of the encampment, joining the rest of the assembled Soul Reapers. Yoruichi then motioned for Itachi and the others to halt, and a moment later she joined Captain Drakken at the head of the gathering.

A nod from her was apparently the cue that Squad Ten's Captain had been waiting for. "All right, everyone, it's finally time. Before we begin this mission, I'd just like to thank everyone here for their cooperation. I know that our two divisions haven't always been on the best of terms, but working together today will go a long way towards ensuring that we all get to return to the Seireitei alive."

He gestured at Yoruichi before continuing. "While the safety of the advanced track students today is primarily the responsibility of Squad Two, I wish for any Squad Ten members assigned to the interception teams to keep an eye out for them as well. After all, some of them may end up joining our ranks upon graduation, so let's make sure that they get a favorable first impression!"

Yoruichi then stepped forward. "We'll be dividing into two distinct groups for this mission. The first is the attack group. That will consist of Captain Drakken, myself, and our most capable frontline fighters. Our goal is simple; to enter the main cave and engage the Hollows head-on. Due to the scale of the cavern network, however, it is highly unlikely that we'll be able to kill all of them downward. In fact, it's all but certain that some will find their way to the secondary caverns and make a break for the surface."

"That's where the second group comes into play," she continued, "We've mapped out all of the caverns, and the second group will be charged with intercepting Hollows that come out of the secondary caves. The interceptor group will be divided into multiple smaller teams to accomplish this objective. While members of both Squads Two and Ten will be with the attack and interceptor groups, it will be _my_ division that will supervise the advanced track students as they reinforce the interceptors. Students, that means you _will_ pay attention to my subordinates; if you don't, then you'll have only yourselves to blame when you become dinner for the Hollows."

There was a collective shudder that went through most of the students, though Itachi wasn't particularly bothered. He wasn't the only one, either; Jiraiya actually seemed more amused by the warning than anything else.

 _The two of us have enough fighting experience to hold our own should trouble come along_ , he thought, _and our continued education has only helped in that regard. I do hope the others heed her words carefully; it would be a shame to lose any of our classmates today, or indeed any of the Soul Reapers here._

He then saw Captain Drakken nod at one of his subordinates. "Third Seat Shiba should have relayed assignments to those of you under my command by now. We'll also be leaving a team behind to defend the Squad Four medical station, just to be on the safe side. You all know the roles that you have to play in this mission, and I expect you to perform as well today as you have in the past. This is nothing that you haven't done before, so believe in yourselves and fight like I know you can!"

Itachi followed the Captain's gaze towards Squad Ten's Third Seat. A tall and muscular man with short and spikey black hair, brown eyes, and rather long sideburns, he wasn't quite what Itachi had been expecting of such a high-ranking officer, although his encounters with the likes of Yoruichi, Kisuke, and others were repeat lessons about keeping his expectations flexible. Isshin Shiba struck Itachi as a rather laid-back man, not all that different from Jiraiya on first glance, in fact. Yoruichi hadn't said much about any of Squad Ten's officers on the trek out to the mission site, but she had mentioned the Third Seat in passing and seemed to have a favorable impression of the man. With Itachi's senses now refined after four years of training in the Soul Reaper arts, he was able to detect a very sizeable amount of spirit energy emanating from Isshin, and he could tell that the officer was holding back much like the other high-ranking warriors in the area. The man might not have been a Captain or Lieutenant, but it was clear that he had plenty of potential.

As had become a habit when he met a new Soul Reaper, Itachi's gaze lingered on Isshin's Zanpakutō. In its sealed state it took on the guise of an ordinary tachi, with a red handle and hexagonal brass tsuba. The way it was carried was rather unusual; Isshin had it on a string that was wrapped around his belt in a manner that reminded Itachi of the iaidō style he'd occasionally seen sported by some of the Samurai that hailed from the Land of Iron in the Shinobi World. Since the design of the sealed weapon was a tachi, it was worn with the edge down instead of up like a katana would've been. Capping off the ensemble was a blue tassel attached to the end of the pommel.

 _I wonder what he's like in a fight_ , Itachi mused, _I suppose I'll just have to wait and see. Actually, if he's with the attack group, then I probably won't get the chance today; he'll be down in the caves while I'm up here with the rest of the students. That's a shame… oh, well._

Squad Ten's Third Seat stepped forward and began barking out orders. "All right, people, you heard the Captain! Attack teams and interceptor teams, get to your positions! We've got a job to do, so let's move it!"

"The same goes for Squad Two!" called Yoruichi, "Time to go to work, people! Keep your wits as sharp as your blades and we'll all make it home tonight!"

As assembled Soul Reapers began to disperse, Itachi saw several of them from Squad Two's ranks approaching the students. Among them was a woman that Itachi realized was heading straight for him.

"Itachi, Jiraiya, Visaelya?" she said when she reached the trio, her voice a little on the deep side and actually rather melodious, "I'm Rija Usorba, Fifteenth Seat of Squad Two. The three of you will be under my supervision for this mission. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Itachi took a moment to evaluate the officer. She was a rather striking woman, with a tall and very athletic build that was apparent even through her loose Soul Reaper robes. Her skin was definitely on the tan side, and it actually reminded Itachi a bit of Yoruichi. It was accented by a mane of dark red hair that managed to be long and flowing even though it was tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes were a deep and vibrant shade of emerald, and when combined with her dark blue lipstick the affect was rather alluring. She projected an aura of confidence and reassurance, with what Itachi was surprised to realize had an almost motherly feel to it. Her Zanpakutō was secured at her hip, with its bright green hilt-wrapping and golden circular guard quite difficult to miss.

Itachi nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

Jiraiya grinned as he looked her up and down. "Truly, the pleasure is all mine! I feel more confident about this mission already!"

Rija smirked. "Ah, yes; Captain Shihōin warned me about you, Jiraiya. Ply those charms to your heart's content, but I'm afraid you'll find me no easy prey."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Hey, I don't mind a challenge!"

"Please, spare us your vulgar attempts at courtship," Visaelya dryly quipped at the sage before turning to their overseer, "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Usorba."

The officer smiled. "Please, just call me Rija. There's no need for formalities when we'll be fighting alongside each other."

Visaelya nodded. "Very well, then… Rija. I hope you won't find this to be rude, but I'm rather curious as to the nature of your name; I've never heard one quite like it. Would you by any chance happen to be from the Shihōin Clan's Principality?"

"A keen observation," she replied with an approving nod, "and a spot-on guess. Yes, I'm from the ancestral homelands of the Shihōin Clan. They recognized my talents and sent me all the way to the Seireitei, at no small expense I might add. Their support was based on the condition that I join Squad Two in support of their clan's heiress, and I was more than happy to oblige them; the Captain is certainly worthy of it."

 _Just like Kisuke and Soi-Fon_ , Itachi mused, _Yoruichi seems to have a knack for inspiring loyalty in her subordinates. I wonder if it comes naturally to her or if she had to practice to consistently achieve that… I suppose I'll find out when I join her division._

 _ **Indeed. You're already well down the path to being just like them as it is.**_

 _I owe her. She saved my life, and she's done a great deal for me since then. Joining Squad Two in order to repay her upon graduation is the right thing to do._

 _ **Perhaps…**_

Itachi could tell when his Zanpakutō was holding back her real sentiments. He wasn't going to push her to come clean here, though; it would just invite quips that he'd rather do without at the moment.

"Will we be working with any of the other students in this mission?" asked Itachi.

Rija shook her head. "No. Captain Shihōin is rather keen on putting your abilities to the test today, so we'll be operating apart from them. We will be in proximity to other Soul Reapers that are assigned to the interceptor teams, though, so we'll be expected to support them should the need arise, and vice versa."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Are we really expecting heavy action? Between the two Captains leading them, it seems like the Soul Reapers in the attack group will have things pretty well covered."

"We still need to remain on our guard," Rija replied, "While the Captains and the Soul Reapers accompanying them will have little trouble dealing with the bulk of the Hollows, the beasts that manage go and make a break for the surface will still be quite dangerous."

"We'll be ready for them," said Visaelya firmly.

Rija smiled. "That's the spirit! All right, then; let's get moving!"

….

As the attack group began to make their way into the main cavern, Soi-Fon stepped in front of Yoruichi and held out her right hand with the palm facing upwards. "Bakudō 3: Hakkō Gaido!"

A small blue-white orb appeared, no larger than an apple. It then floated upwards until it was over Soi-Fon's head, casting light around her. Other Soul Reapers, particularly those up front, were casting the same spell, and Yoruichi had already done so. Classified as a Binding Spell because it 'bound' a tiny bit of spirit energy from the caster to create light, the technique was quite useful for illuminating dark environments. It wasn't as harsh as its Destruction Spell counterpart, Nikkō Bāsuto, and it could be sustained for far longer; almost indefinitely by a sufficiently skilled caster. The spell was also useful in that it could be maintained with almost no conscious thought, leaving the caster free to fight under the orb's light rather than face their opponent in darkness.

 _Spell casting isn't Soi-Fon's primary area of expertise_ , thought Yoruichi with a smile, _but she's still done a very good job of maintaining her skills in that realm._

To her right, Kisuke smirked. "Aren't we just a merry band of warriors?"

Yoruichi chuckled; the tension in the group could be cut with a knife, so any attempt at humor was welcome. "Merry might be a bit of an exaggeration."

"We need to stay focused, Kisuke!" snapped Soi-Fon, "Now's not the time for your quips!"

Kisuke shook his head. "Looks like someone's a little high-strung today. What's the matter, Soi-Fon? Pre-mission jitters keep you up past your bedtime last night?"

Soi-Fon glared at him. "Shut up!"

Yoruichi smiled. "Now, now, Soi-Fon; play nice. We're all on the same team here, remember?"

Kisuke gave her a playful punch to the shoulder. "You know you'd miss me if something terrible happened down here!"

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "Unlikely."

 _She would_ , Yoruichi mused, _Kisuke's her comrade, and Soi-Fon cares in her own way… although she'll never admit it._

Up ahead she saw a pair of scouts racing towards them. Their swords weren't drawn, and Yoruichi couldn't hear or see any signs of pursuit, but the two Soul Reapers looked quite nervous.

"What did you find?" she asked as they came up to her.

"The main nest is just down there," said the first one, a woman with short-cropped black hair, "There are more than we expected!"

"How many more?" asked Kisuke.

"We counted… at least forty," said the second scout, a red-haired young man, as he struggled to catch his breath, "There could… be more hiding down there."

"Forty," murmured Soi-Fon as she gave the attack group a once-over, "We should be able to take them, but…"

"It might get messy," Yoruichi finished for her, "Busting out our most powerful techniques could bring the cave down on our heads, so it'll be mostly blade work. We'll have to be careful."

"You almost sound nervous, Captain Shihōin," said Rhaegon from off to the side with a smirk, "That's not like you."

"Caution never hurt anyone, Drakken," Yoruichi replied firmly, "It's certainly warranted given the circumstances."

"What kind of Hollows did you see?" asked Soi-Fon, "Are there any Menos down there?"

The first scout shook her head. "No… I don't think the caverns are big enough for them."

"A Gillian couldn't fit down here," said the second, "An Adjuchas, though…"

"That might be a problem," Kisuke admitted.

Yoruichi nodded. "If we encounter one, we might actually be better off luring it to the surface. It'll be easier to deal with it out in the open than in a tight environment like this."

"That'll put the students in danger, though," Soi-Fon pointed out.

"Not if I keep it focused on me," Yoruichi countered, "If we do find one, I'm pretty sure I can distract it while you and Kisuke get the students clear. Once they're safe, I'll be able to play for keeps."

"Kisuke can see to the students," said Soi-Fon, "Any of the other officers can. I'm your bodyguard, so I'm not leaving your side, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi smiled. "I appreciate that, but I don't know if you're ready for a fight like that yet. A Gillian I know you can take, but an Adjuchas is a whole different beast."

"I can take one," Soi-Fon argued, "You've trained me, Lady Yoruichi! I know I have what it takes to defeat one!"

Yoruichi nodded. "I appreciate the vote of confidence in the instruction I've given you over the years, but we need to be realistic, Soi-Fon. Hopefully we won't have to test you in such a manner today."

"We'll know more once we're down there," said Kisuke, nodding at the darkness ahead, "The sooner we get down there, the better. I know we can suppress our spiritual pressure, but given our numbers the Hollows are bound to be aware of us."

"You're probably right," said Yoruichi grimly, "We need to strike now."

The attack group pressed onwards, and Yoruichi instinctively moved her hand so that it hovered over the hilt of her Zanpakutō. She would be ready to engage at the drop of a hat, and her quick-draw skills would very much come in handy in an environment like this.

As they drew closer to where the scouts had come from, Yoruichi began to hear noises coming from down the cavern. It sounded like heavy breathing, claws scraping on stone, drool dripping from fangs, and more. The very air grew foul as they drew near their goal, and Yoruichi saw more than one Soul Reaper's nose wrinkle in disgust.

 _It's a Hollow nest_ , she thought, _What were they expecting? It was never going to smell like a spring picnic…_

"We're close," Soi-Fon whispered.

"How do you want to play this?" asked Kisuke.

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Blind and blitz. Sound good to you, Drakken?"

Squad Ten's Captain smiled. "I'm game. Would you like to do the honors?"

"We'll do it together," Yoruichi replied, "The light bursts will be more effective in tandem."

Rhaegon nodded. "Very well, then."

The two Captains stepped forward before holding out their hands and unleashing their spells as one. "Hadō 6: Nikkō Bāsuto!"

There may have been no incantation chanted, but the power of the Captains was such that it wasn't needed for the spell to be effective. Two large and blazing orbs of bright white light shot forward, and after traveling down into darkness a significant way they burst together, illuminating a vast cavern.

One that was filled to bursting with Hollows.

None of the gathered beasts stood out to Yoruichi as a potential Adjuchas, but it was a large crowd; there was always the possibility that one was using the lesser Hollows as camouflage. Even if there were no Menos to contend with today, that didn't mean that they could let their guard down; rank and file Hollows were plenty dangerous in their own right, as Yoruichi knew from more than her share of firsthand experience.

 _The scouts were wrong_ , she thought grimly as she assessed the situation, _I'm willing to bet there are way more than forty of these beasts down here. That still won't stop me from taking them down._

She drew her Zanpakutō in the blink of an eye. "Attack!"

"Send these foul beasts into the abyss!" Rhaegon commanded.

Taking full advantage of her speed and the remaining light from the twin Kidō bursts, Yoruichi Flash Stepped forward and decapitated the closest Hollow before the beast could so much as raise a claw to defend itself. The other nearby Hollows immediately charged, swinging wildly with their arms and lunging forward trying to snap her up in their jaws, but Yoruichi was already on the move. She leapt onto the back of one beast and plunged her sword into its head before jumping clear of the creature and stabbing another through the chest. Ducking to avoid a swipe from a powerful arm that ended in fearsome claws, Yoruichi swiftly cut the limb off before carving up the Hollow that it had belonged to.

"Lady Yoruichi!" cried Soi-Fon as she stabbed a Hollow in the back, "You mustn't be so reckless!"

Yoruichi smiled at her bodyguard as she thrust her blade straight through the mask of her next target. "No need to worry, Soi-Fon. I know what I'm doing!"

"It's my duty to protect you!" Soi-Fon argued as she sliced another Hollow's arm off before stabbing it in the throat, "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you! I won't allow it!"

Yoruichi laughed as she cut a beast's head clean off. "That's sweet, Soi-Fon. I'll make sure to take care of myself to spare you any grief."

Soi-Fon shook her head before kicking a Hollow hard enough to send the creature flying into the nearest wall. "Let's just kill these vermin and get out of here!"

Yoruichi grinned. "Bet I can take down more than you!"

Turning her words into action, she backflipped over a charging Hollow. As she came down she slammed her foot into the back of the creature's neck, sending it crashing to the floor. Her coup de grace came as she plunged her Zanpakutō into the beast's skull. She swiftly withdrew her blade and rolled to the side to avoid a swipe from another foe's claws. As she came back up she thrust her blade into her attacker's shoulder before pulling it out and making a second strike, this one catching the Hollow at the base of its jaw and plunging the sword into the monster's brain.

She was about to strike down another beast that was coming at her from the side when her Third Seat beat her to the punch. Drawing his Zanpakutō and attacking in a single fluid motion, Kisuke cut off the Hollow's legs at the knees, and his follow-up attack took the beast's head clean off.

"Looks like we've really stirred things up," he said with a smile, "Quite a lively bunch here, don't you think?"

"That's one way to put it!" Yoruichi replied as she casually whirled around and sliced a Hollow that had been trying to attack her from behind in half.

"Now's not the time for banter, Kisuke!" Soi-Fon growled as she stabbed another beast in the throat, "We have work to do!"

Kisuke nodded before plunging his sword into a Hollow's torso. "That we do. Given the crowd, I guess I'd better kick things up a notch. You don't mind, do you?"

"Just be careful," said Yoruichi as she nailed a Hollow in the head with a spin kick before slicing clean through its neck, "I'd rather avoid us causing a cave-in while we're down here."

Kisuke smiled as he casually ducked beneath a swiping arm that was almost as thick as his torso. "I think I can manage that."

Whirling around and cleaving the attacking limb from the beast that had used it to attack him, Kisuke's grin turned devious as he held out his Zanpakutō. "Awaken, Benihime!"

Yoruichi felt a surge of spiritual pressure as her old friend unleashed his Shikai. The Zanpakutō glowed with crimson energy as it transformed from a katana into something much more unique. Like a katana, it was still a single-edged sword, but now it was a straight blade instead of a curved one, and it was slightly thicker than it had been in its sealed state. Rather than tapering at the end like a traditional katana, Benihime's Shikai form had tip that ended in a slanted razor-like edge. Meanwhile, the weapon's hilt had significantly changed as well. The grip, which had black decorative wrapping, bent forwards towards the end and had a crimson tassel hanging from it. Rather than a traditional tsuba, the base of the blade now had a U-shaped guard that went up the first three inches of the sword and had a flower-petal design engraved upon it. There was a red string wrapped thrice around the hilt, and it was topped off by a three-loop bow on the back side while a folded paper decoration hung from the front.

Kisuke's smile then became downright cruel. "Sing, Benihime."

He made a broad swing with his sword, and from the arc of the strike flew a torrent of blood-red energy. The wide burst of power cut the Hollow that had attacked Kisuke in half, and it wasn't the only beast to fall; three more monsters were torn apart by the crimson wave of energy.

Yoruichi smirked as she cut down another foe. "Not bad. It's been awhile since you've let her enjoy herself!"

Kisuke chuckled as he blocked a strike from a Hollow before plunging his sword into its chest. "True, but this won't be enough to satisfy her. She wants bigger prey than what we're up against here!"

"She'll have to deal with whatever comes our way today," Yoruichi replied as she ducked beneath a vicious swipe from a Hollow's claws, "She shouldn't be greedy."

She brought her foot up and delivered a solid kick in the chin to the Hollow before cutting its arm off and finishing it off with a stab to the neck. Another monster tried to attack her from behind, but Soi-Fon swiftly intercepted it. Yoruichi saw her bodyguard grab the Hollow by the arm and toss it as though the creature weighed next to nothing. As the beast hit the ground, Soi-Fon pounced on top of it and jammed her blade straight through its skull.

Despite all the beasts that the three of them had already killed, there were still plenty more to go. Yoruichi couldn't help but chuckle as she caught Soi-Fon giving Kisuke the occasional envious glance as he tore into the Hollows with his Shikai. It was obvious what her bodyguard wanted to do, and Yoruichi was inclined to indulge her, although she did wonder why Soi-Fon felt like she needed permission to unleash her true power in the first place.

"No need to be jealous of him, Soi-Fon," said Yoruichi with a smirk as she decapitated a Hollow, "If you want to compete with Kisuke, then what are you waiting for? Go for it!"

Soi-Fon's eyes widened slightly as she leapt over a Hollow before kicking it into the ground and plunging her blade into its back. "Lady Yoruichi, are you sure? My Shikai's still incomplete!"

"Of course!" Yoruichi replied as she kicked another beast in the face, "It'll be good practice for you, after all! If there's one place where your Zanpakutō is guaranteed to grow, it's the battlefield!"

Soi-Fon smiled. "All right, then!"

Ducking beneath a Hollow's claws before stabbing the beast in the throat, Soi-Fon then leapt back to give herself a bit of breathing room to release her weapon's power. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

The blade was bathed in red-white energy before the Zanpakutō transformed into its Shikai state. When the light had faded, the weapon had undergone a radical shift. Rather than a wakizashi, Soi-Fon's Zanpakutō now took on the form of a black and gold gauntlet that was worn on her right forearm. A small golden chain linked the gauntlet to a golden-yellow 'stinger' blade that was fitted over Soi-Fon's middle finger. The stinger blade was roughly twice the length of her finger, and when taken together with the gauntlet it looked like a hornet had taken up residence on her forearm and hand. While small as far as Zanpakutō releases were concerned, Yoruichi knew full well just how deceptive that size could be; the weapon was still capable of blocking attacks from both Hollow claws and swords if wielded correctly, and its slender, form-fitting nature actually was an asset in that it allowed Soi-Fon to use it with remarkable speed and flexibility.

Rushing forward, Soi-Fon immediately plunged her stinger blade into the chest of a Hollow. In addition to creating a rather deep puncture wound, a moment later a butterfly-shaped mark appeared directly over the point of impact. Swiftly withdrawing her blade, Soi-Fon then stabbed the exact same spot a second later. The Hollow stumbled, and its entire body began to seize up. It tried to attack Soi-Fon, but its movements were a jerky and uncoordinated mess. After a few seconds of flailing around, the Hollow was engulfed in crimson energy. A moment later there was a flash as the butterfly mark expanded, and then the Hollow completely disintegrated.

 _Nigeki Kessatsu_ , thought Yoruichi as she casually slashed through a Hollow's throat, _Soi-Fon's definitely getting better with it. The poison Suzumebachi exudes seems to be working a little faster now, too._

When Soi-Fon had protested that her Shikai was still incomplete, Yoruichi had been well aware that it wasn't the weapon's actual combat effectiveness that her bodyguard had been doubting. As had just been demonstrated, Soi-Fon's Zanpakutō was more than capable of handling Hollows even if she was still refining its abilities. It was more an issue of fine details rather than anything else. For example, the butterfly-shaped marks that appeared on a target's flesh, known as Hōmonka, could currently only be maintained by the force of Soi-Fon's will for approximately ten minutes. In a fast-paced fight such as the one they were involved in now, that was hardly a concern, as Soi-Fon had just proven by how swiftly she had taken down her target. However, from what Yoruichi understood, her bodyguard believed that the crests were capable of remaining for much longer than that; Soi-Fon just lacked the strength to make that possible. There was also the issue of the venom; from what Soi-Fon had told Yoruichi, it seemed that Suzumebachi's poison was actually still developing and had the potential to act faster with further development of Soi-Fon's power.

While Nigeki Kessatsu was a technique geared towards single targets, Soi-Fon was more than capable of applying it in a large fight. Thanks to Yoruichi's tutelage, her bodyguard was highly proficient in both Hohō and Hakuda, and the Shikai form of her Zanpakutō was practically tailor-made to take advantage of those skills. Her speed allowed her to land the required two hits before most Hollows were capable of fully comprehending their peril. It was also well suited to hit and run attacks; she could land the initial blow on one Hollow, then mark another beast or two before coming back around to deliver the fatal second strike when her foe least expected it. It wasn't as effective as Kisuke's Benihime for taking on multiple opponents simultaneously, but it was deadly nonetheless.

While Yoruichi and her subordinates had formed the tip of the spear, they were hardly engaging the enemy by themselves. Their initial lightning strike had naturally drawn the attention of most of the other Hollows, and that had provided an ideal opening for the rest of the Soul Reapers in the attack group to engage. The frontline hitters for Squads Two and Ten were now fully engaged with the enemy, and they were making an impressive dent in the Hollows' numbers.

As she cut down another foe she saw Rhaegon carving a bloody swath through the monstrous horde. Despite her personal dislike of the man, Yoruichi would freely admit that his skill in the art of Zanjutsu was impressive. Squad Ten's Captain was an absolute natural with a blade, as the Hollows were finding out rather brutally today. His swordsmanship was as efficient as it was elegant, to the point that it almost looked like he was dancing around his foes as cleaved limbs and heads from them. Like Yoruichi, Rhaegon was keeping his Zanpakutō in its sealed form, which was definitely a good thing; she'd seen his Shikai before, and while it would normally be quite useful in a large-scale fight, it also would've had just as much of a chance of causing a cave-in as Yoruichi's if something went wrong.

 _It's always strange to find things that he and I have in common_ , she mused as she cut a Hollow's arms off before finishing it off with a stab to the neck, _but in the case of our Shikais, it's true; they're good for a brawl, but the amount of power they throw around is not to be taken lightly._

Rhaegon's Lieutenant, however, was not under the same constraints. As Yoruichi saw Obran pull his sword out of a Hollow's chest, she felt a surge of spiritual pressure as the man released his Zanpakutō.

"Arise and bite, Akai Baipā!" he said with a smirk.

In a flash of red-white light, his sword transformed into an ornate spear. The handle and shaft were composed of a dark wood that looked polished to almost a mirror-sheen, and the very bottom of it was capped with a small steel point. Meanwhile, the actual business-end of the weapon was a blade with waved edges. A red and bronze serpent coiled around the base of the blade, fusing it with the shaft. Two small rubies served as 'eyes' for the snake, and they were glowing with spirit energy.

A Hollow lunged at Obran, who responded by sweeping the spear across the beast's torso. The cut was quite shallow, and at first glance it appeared to have minimal impact on the creature. However, as the monster tried to attack the Lieutenant again, Yoruichi could tell that its moves were slowing down. The creature's breathing soon became ragged, and that was followed by the Hollow gnashing its teeth in what was clearly pain.

 _Soi-Fon's not the only Soul Reaper that wields a poisoned Zanpakutō_ , thought Yoruichi as she tripped a Hollow with a sweeping kick before stabbing it in the back of the head, _I almost feel sorry for that beast; Akai Baipā's a slow killer… and a very_ painful _one._

A battlefield was hardly the place to take one's sweet time in dispatching the enemy, though, so rather than allow his enemy to suffer the full agony of his weapon's venom, Obran made a quick thrust that sent the spear straight through the Hollow's gut. He then swiftly withdrew his Zanpakutō, and the beast dissolved a few seconds later as it hit the ground.

Obran wasn't even looking at the Hollow as it died; he had already turned his attention to his next foes. Whirling the spear around him, he inflicted a multitude of cuts on the group of beasts that had been trying to swarm him, and as they recoiled in pain he then finished them off in rapid succession with precise thrusts to their throats. As the Hollows fell around him, Obran smirked and spun his Zanpakutō in an artful flourish before engaging a fresh set of foes. Squad Ten's Lieutenant had a reputation as a rather flashy fighter, but there was no denying his effectiveness, and Yoruichi knew that despite his penchant for showmanship Obran could also be quite crafty in a skirmish. He certainly wasn't a foe to be taken lightly, as the Hollows were finding out the hard way.

Obran wasn't the only one of Rhaegon's subordinates that was unleashing their Zanpakutō. A little way past the Lieutenant, Yoruichi caught a glimpse of Squad Ten's Third Seat, and the surge in his spiritual pressure was all she need to know that Isshin Shiba was getting down to business.

"Burn, Engetsu!" he shouted.

Physically, the sword did not change, but the sudden surge in spiritual pressure was all anyone needed to know that Shiba's Shikai had been unleashed. The blade became sheathed in spirit energy that engulfed the tassels trailing from the hilt, creating long streams of power flowing from the weapon.

 _He may be a Third Seat_ , thought Yoruichi as she plunged her blade into a Hollow's back, _but his spiritual pressure is easily Lieutenant-class at least. In fact, in terms of raw power, he might actually be stronger than Obran…_

She was concerned that the sheer strength of the energy flowing from Engetsu might pose a risk to the integrity of the cave they were fighting in, but Isshin seemed to have it under control. As a group of Hollows charged him, Isshin met them head-on. Yoruichi was intrigued when she saw him actually bite one of his own fingers hard enough to draw blood, but the reason for such a strange action was revealed a moment later as he then spat that blood onto his sword. A wave of blue-white energy ripped forth a moment later and reduced the whole group of Hollows to nothing more than ash.

"Captain Shihōin!" cried one of her subordinates, "We have a problem!"

As she cut down another monster, Yoruichi saw a female Soul Reaper with short-cropped black hair running towards her. She wasn't being pursued, but Yoruichi was still determined to make sure that the woman was able to deliver her message safely.

"Soi-Fon, Kisuke, cover me!" she ordered.

"Right!" Soi-Fon replied.

"You got it!" called Kisuke.

She rushed over to her subordinate, cutting down any Hollows that were unfortunate enough to get in her way. As she drew near, Kisuke and Soi-Fon took over, carving out a bit of much needed space for Yoruichi to hear her messenger out.

"What's happened?" she asked.

"Several Hollows have broken off from the main group!" the woman replied, "They made for one of the side passages and are heading for the surface as we speak!"

"Shit!" Yoruichi hissed, "Who's closest to them?"

"Our Tenth Seat's team," she said, "He wants your permission to pursue; he believes that this group is too strong for the interceptors to handle on their own!"

Yoruichi nodded. "Let him know that he can go after them. I'll send someone with you to clear a path."

The woman nodded. "Understood, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi then turned to her Third Seat. "Kisuke, go with her! Make sure she gets to where she needs to go no matter what, you got that?"

Kisuke nodded as he shredded a group of Hollows with a burst of crimson energy from Benihime. "Understood!"

"Soi-Fon, with me!" Yoruichi ordered.

With that, she plunged back into the fray.

….

His eyes closed and his hand hovering over the hilt of his Zanpakutō, Itachi concentrated on the spirit energy of the attack group as they battled it out with the Hollows down in the cave. It was hard to get an exact feel for the fight, but his senses had developed enough over the past four years for him to understand that the engagement was an intense one. The spikes in spiritual pressure that he felt indicated that multiple Soul Reapers had activated their Shikais, although Itachi doubted that either of the Captains were among them.

 _Yoruichi's spiritual pressure has been steady_ , he thought as he focused on Squad Two's leader, _She must be relying purely on skill rather than power. That makes sense; Captains are strong enough that even their Shikais can do a tremendous amount of damage, and given the environment that they're fighting in it would make sense for her to restrain herself to avoid collapsing the caverns._

He wished that he could be down there, both to witness Yoruichi in combat and to fight alongside her, but Itachi understood his role quite well. He was support this round, and since he was still a student he could hardly fault the logic in that decision. Itachi didn't mind being on defense rather than offense, but he looked forward to the day when his Soul Reaper powers would be developed enough to the point that he could engage on the front lines. It wasn't a desire to fight for fighting's sake, but rather so that he could repay Yoruichi's investment in him and prove that her faith had been well placed.

"Looks like we're missing out on quite the fight," said Jiraiya.

Itachi opened his eyes and turned to his friend. "You sense it too?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah… it feels pretty hectic down there. Too bad I can't sense Hollows as well as Soul Reapers, otherwise I'd have a better idea as to what the odds are."

"True," Itachi replied, "It's a lot harder to get a feel for them than it is our fellow Soul Reapers. Hopefully that will change with time as our skills develop."

"It will," said Rija with a smile, "More time in the field will help you refine your ability to detect Hollows. Tracking spirit energy is important, but don't neglect your other senses as well. Every advantage you can get is crucial to survival."

Visaelya folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently as she stared at the mouth of a nearby cave. "They've been down there for quite some time now. What if they need help?"

"The attack group is led by two Captains," Rija reassured her, "They can handle anything that rears its ugly head down there."

Visaelya sighed. "I do not mean to doubt their abilities. I just don't like waiting up here while the others are down there fighting."

"Part of being a Soul Reaper is accepting the tasks given to you and completing them to the best of your abilities, even if you don't like them," Rija reminded her, "We have our role to play in this operation, and we need to see it done. If individual Soul Reapers disregard their orders simply because they don't like them, then the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would fall apart overnight. You're in the advanced track because you show great promise, Visaelya, but talent does not exempt any of us from the tasks that we are given."

Visaelya nodded. "Of course. I'll keep that in mind… and I _will_ do my part to make sure our mission is a success."

Rija smiled and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Now that's the right attitude to have! I think you'll do just fine, Visaelya."

Itachi closed his eyes again while the others chatted. Stretching out with the rest of his senses, he concentrated on the opening of the cave again. A few seconds went by before he detected a change in the spirit energy coming from down in the dark. Some of it appeared to have broken away from the main fight.

And it was heading straight towards them.

Itachi's eyes snapped open as he immediately drew his sword. "We're about to have company."

Jiraiya, Rija, and Visaelya wasted no time in unsheathing their blades. Rija stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the entrance of the cave.

"Hollows," she hissed, "I can't tell how many… shit!"

"What should we do?" asked Visaelya, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness despite her best efforts."

Rija swiftly issued orders to the others. "I'll hold the front. Itachi, take my left flank! Jiraiya, you've got the right! Visaelya, pick whatever spell you can fire off the fastest and unleash it the moment you can see them!"

The three students quickly formed up around the veteran Soul Reaper. Itachi's mind flashed back to his early days as a Shinobi; their current formation reminded him of countless drills with classmates and comrades.

 _My weapon and powers are different this time around_ , he mused, _but the rest of this feels quite familiar._

 _ **Don't get lost on a trip down memory lane**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō chided him, _**We're about to be up to our necks in Hollows.**_

Itachi had to work to suppress a smirk. _If you insist…_

There was a slight rumbling in the ground as the enemy drew closer, and the tremors were a sign that the pack of Hollows racing towards them wasn't a small one. Itachi was ready, and he knew Jiraiya was as well, but he wasn't sure if Visaelya was prepared for what was coming their way. She was gifted, but unlike the two former Shinobi or the Fifteenth Seat of Squad Two she had no prior combat experience. This would be a trial by fire, and Itachi could only hope that she had what it took to survive it.

As the first white death masks appeared out of the darkness, Visaelya raised the palm of her right hand and made her incantation. "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"

A blast of blue-white energy ripped forth and slammed into the Hollows at the front of the pack. The impact staggered the group and caused a pileup, and Rija wasted no time in taking advantage of it.

"Hadō 5: Hotaru Bāsuto!" she shouted.

A stream of tiny green energy balls flew forth and hammered the already disoriented Hollow. Rija swept her hand from left to right in an arc, and the barrage of small emerald spheres continued, spreading across the entire group. It was a much more sustained burst than Itachi was capable of maintaining with that spell, and what made it even more impressive to him was the fact that she was doing it without an incantation.

 _Seated officers really are a cut above the rest_ , he thought, _I'm glad she's on our side._

None of the Hollows had been killed, but they were wounded, and none of them were prepared for when Rija lunged forward. She immediately stabbed one of the beasts straight through the head, while Itachi and Jiraiya plunged their blades into the monsters flanking her target.

Meanwhile, Visaelya had already begun a second incantation. "Lord of Storms, Queen of the Sky, Wrath of the Heavens! The Knight of the Bolt rides forth to strike down the Heart of Corruption! Hadō 19: Raimei!"

The spear of lighting that flew forth impaled a Hollow that had been about to pounce on Jiraiya. The sage smirked as he delivered a follow-up attack, slicing the beast in half. As the Hollow dissolved, Visaelya moved forward; there would be no more time for further incantations. The skirmish was now a full-on close quarters clash, and it would only be by working together that the four of them would be able to survive.

Raising his Zanpakutō, Itachi fended off a swing that had been meant for Rija before countering by slicing the Hollow's arm off. He then thrust his blade forward, and it went right into the monster's neck. Returning the favor, Rija sliced the head clean off of a Hollow that had been about to pounce on Itachi.

"Keep it up!" she yelled as she ducked beneath another beast before stabbing it in the gut, "This fight's just getting started!"

Fighting in unison, the four of them stood as a bulwark against the onrushing pack. Their blades flashed through the air, and each combatant carved into the charging Hollows with their own style. While Itachi maintained his swift and precise swordsmanship, Rija had a more graceful and flowing nature to her Zanjutsu that reminded him of Minerva's technique. Jiraiya and Visaelya, by contrast, both favored more powerful styles. The key difference between the two of them was experience; Jiraiya's strikes carried with them the confidence that was born from surviving fights to the death, while Visaelya's attacks were a little rougher, as if she were trying to find her step. That was to be expected, though, and she was giving a commendable accounting for herself.

"There's plenty for all of us," said Jiraiya with a smirk as he slashed a beast across the torso, "May the best man win!"

"This isn't a game, Jiraiya!" Visaelya snapped while stabbing a Hollow in the face, "Besides, who's to say that a woman wouldn't win whatever contest you're thinking of?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "So you _are_ counting, aren't you?"

"Save the competition for when you've got more experience!" Rija ordered as she sliced the legs clean off of a Hollow before finishing it off with a thrust through its mask, "Stay focused!"

 _She's right_ , thought Itachi as he cut down another foe, _The last thing any of us need right now is a distraction._

 _ **I can count your kills if you're too busy at the moment.**_

 _Don't._

He saw Rija's eyes narrow as more Hollows came out of the cave. "Not good. Itachi, cover me! I just need a second!"

Itachi stepped forward and plunged his sword into a Hollow's stomach. Behind him he felt a sudden spike in spiritual pressure; Rija was releasing her Zanpakutō.

"Shock and awe, Sutōmudansā!" she shouted.

A moment later she stepped forward again, giving Itachi a good view of her Shikai. Her sword had taken on the form of an exotic curved blade, which had a barbed point on the inside just a little bit behind the main tip of the weapon. Flowing runes that were beyond Itachi's ability to decipher ran up along the inside curve of the weapon, and they glowed with a green-yellow light. The weapon's handle had changed from a traditional katana hilt to a golden design with a curved wrist guard that began at where the blade met the handle and ended at the end of the pommel. Rubies and emeralds were embedded in the handle, and greenish-yellow sparks danced up and down the blade.

The design of the sword was intriguing enough, but that wasn't the end of Rija's Shikai. While the blade was held in her left hand, her left hand now grasped a circular shield unlike anything Itachi had ever seen before. A green ring made up the border of the design, while the main body was composed of a violet circle emblazoned with a set of golden wings. Running straight up the middle of the shield in a line were three gems; two sapphires flanking a ruby. The light reflecting in the gems made the shield radiant to behold, and Itachi hoped that he would have time after the fight to study it in detail.

Rija wasted no time in giving the enemy a taste of her Shikai's power. "Take this!"

She made a horizontal slash with her sword. The blade cut through nothing but air, but it wasn't the sword itself that the Hollows had to worry about; it was the bolts of greenish-yellow lightning that flew forth from the arc of the slash. The Hollows were engulfed in the energy, with bolts of electricity coursing all over their bodies and causing them to jerk and spasm uncontrollably.

Itachi and his fellow students immediately recognized their opportunity to strike and seized it. Their blades carved into stunned Hollows, ripping them apart before they could defend themselves. Rija leapt forward to join them, and her engraved sword danced through the air a significantly greater speed than her sealed Zanpakutō had.

 _The blade's actually smaller in its Shikai form_ , Itachi noted, _I bet it's lighter, too, even with the gems embedded in the handle. It really suits her fighting style._

Jiraiya smiled as he finished off a Hollow. "Impressive! I'm _shocked_ , truly!"

"Save the bad puns for later, Jiraiya!" Visaelya barked as she delivered the coup de grace to her latest target.

Jiraiya chuckled. "What can I say? I was struck by the _spark_ of inspiration!"

Rija smirked as she blocked a heavy blow with her shield. "Thanks, but don't let it distract you! I'll take your praise after the fighting's done!"

As Itachi cut down the Hollow that Rija had just fended off with her shield, the Fifteenth Seat leapt forward and slashed through the air again. Just like before, bolts of lightning flew from the arc of her slash and stunned a fresh wave of Hollows. Even as he moved in to attack the vulnerable monsters, Itachi's mind was already hard at work analyzing how Rija fought with her Shikai. Its special attack was clearly an area-of-effect strike, and the way that she had put herself out in front of the students before unleashing the ability was a clear indicator of its indiscriminate nature.

 _She could probably cover a much wider area with that attack if she wanted to_ , he thought as he stabbed a Hollow in the neck, _but she doesn't want to risk hurting us in the process. I wonder how much control she really has over her power…_

Even with the knowledge that he, Jiraiya, or Visaelya could be hurt by an errant bolt of lightning did not change the fact that Itachi was quite grateful that Rija had decided to unleash the true power of her Zanpakutō. The group of Hollows attacking them out of the cave did not seem to be letting up anytime soon, and Rija's abilities were invaluable for crowd control. It had become quite clear to Itachi that Yoruichi had put her with the interceptor group for more than just to keep an eye on the three of them; her Shikai was ideal for corralling and stunning Hollows, making them much easier for her comrades to take out.

If Itachi had a concern about Rija's Shikai beyond its area-of-effect, it was how much spirit energy it took for her to use it. While he still had much to learn about the nature of the Zanpakutō, one lesson that had been taught early on was that only higher ranked officers could typically utilize their Shikai in the most efficient manner possible. As Squad Two's Fifteenth Seat, Rija was likely still trying to develop her skills with her Shikai and discover the full extent of its abilities. The power and skill that she was displaying in the current fight was quite impressive, but Itachi had to wonder just how long she could fight like that. She didn't show any signs of strain at the moment, but that could always change.

It was up to him, Jiraiya and Visaelya to cover the much more experienced Soul Reaper and make sure that she wasn't carrying the bulk of the fight on her own. Fortunately, despite their differing personalities and fighting styles, all three students were already proving that they were more than capable of working together. Despite her clear distaste for Jiraiya, Visaelya was still cooperating with him and working fluidly to fill in any gaps in his defenses, and the same was true the other way around. Since Rija was between Itachi and the two of them, he saw his role as serving as a second sword and shield for the officer, giving her some much-needed breathing room so she'd be able to unleash her invaluable lighting-attack and keep the attacking Hollows off balance.

Rija seemed to catch on to what Itachi was trying to accomplish, because she gave him a knowing smile and nod as he cut down a beast that had been trying to flank her. "The Captain was right; you _are_ a natural at this!"

"Thanks," Itachi replied.

As he fended off another Hollow that tried to attack her from the side, Rija stepped forward and unleashed another arc of lightning against the pack of enemies. The burst of electricity once again engulfed a wave of the monsters, but there were even more behind them. As the Hollows that were hit by the lighting stumbled, the others simply rushed around them. The situation was beginning to deteriorate, and to make matters worse Itachi didn't see any sign of reinforcements heading their way.

 _The other teams in the interceptor group must be occupied_ , he thought as he thrust his Zanpakutō through a Hollow's chest, _Just how many of these creatures were nesting here?_

Itachi still had plenty of energy left for the fight, and he could tell that the same was true for Jiraiya and Rija, but he wasn't so sure about Visaelya. She was still holding up, but from the sweat that was beginning to gather at her brow it was clear that the battle was starting to take its toll on her. For all her promise and skill, this was still her first real life and death fight. If the Hollows' assault didn't ease up soon, she would be in trouble. Itachi could only hope that Jiraiya would be able to give her a chance to catch her breath.

Their blades flashed through the air in streaks of silver as one monster after another fell before them, but the enemy just kept on coming. What this batch of Hollows lacked in individual power they made up for in numbers and tenacity. It was times like this that made Itachi curse the loss of the Sharingan; its powers would be most useful for evening the odds. Even more conventional Justus such as Shadow Clones or Summoning would come in handy in a situation like this, but for all their similarities spirit energy was not quite the same as chakra; it had its own qualities and rules of manipulation, and unfortunately Itachi still had a long way to go before he could achieve mastery of it.

"Well, these guys don't lack for enthusiasm!" said Jiraiya as he cleaved clean through a Hollow's neck, "How many do we have to kill before they take the hint that they're not welcome around here?"

"Too… damn… many!" Visaelya growled as she thrust her blade through a beast's knee before finishing it off with a stab to the chest.

"No kidding," said Rija as she bashed a Hollow in the face with her shield before cutting it down, "We might be in trouble here…"

 _ **She's not wrong. How are you holding up?**_

 _You actually sound concerned._

 _ **If you die, I die, remember?**_

 _I'm not dying here. None of us are._

Of course, that was a case of easier said than done. They were holding their own, but how long could it last?

The Hollows seemed to sense an opening, because if anything their already fierce assault suddenly became even more aggressive. They were pressing hard, and it was all Itachi could do to hold his ground at Rija's side. To make matters worse, it was becoming increasingly clear that Visaelya's strength was waning. Her breathing was growing labored, her strikes were losing speed and power, and her footing was becoming shaky. Jiraiya was still going strong, but more of his efforts were being spent now just keeping the Hollows from exploiting the growing gaps in Visaelya's defenses. As skilled as the Legendary Sannin was, he no longer had access to the vast array of Jutsus that had made him so powerful in life; he was still building up his new abilities, just like Itachi. Experience and skill were vital, but they weren't enough.

A trio of Hollows charged forward, aiming right at Jiraiya and Visaelya. The sage met them head-on, and while his powerful strike was enough to instantly take down the lead Hollow, its companions went around him, gunning for Visaelya with dripping fangs and grisly claws. She brought her sword up in response and was able to block an attack from one of the beasts, but the second one lunged at her from the side. Visaelya tried to dodge, but the monster's claws still got a hit on her. The force of the blow knocked her to the ground and winded her, and Itachi could see blood seeping from her wounds.

"Damn it!" Jiraiya snarled as he stabbed the second Hollow in the back, "Visaelya, hang on!"

Despite her injury and her struggle to catch her breath, Visaelya still brought her sword up into guard position, and her violet eyes were burning with defiance as she stared down the third Hollow. The beast's claws were raised for a killing blow, and Itachi knew that his classmate wouldn't be able to withstand it. Another Hollow was already moving on him, though, and he couldn't help Visaelya without leaving his back exposed to his new foe.

"Visaelya, move!" he shouted.

Even as he gave her that desperate command, he knew it was too late; her wounds would not let her evade in time. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Itachi could only steel himself for the horror that was to come.

He was about to lose a comrade to the horrors of war once again.

And that was when the Hollow's arm was cut clean off by a flash of silver.

As he plunged his Zanpakutō into the throat of his opponent, Itachi's eyes widened as a second strike against Visaelya's assailant resulted in the creature's chest being ripped open. The beast dissolved, and the face of Visaelya's savior was revealed.

A face that Itachi hadn't seen in years.

"Shisui…" he said softly as his mind struggled to process it.

He wore the robes of a Soul Reaper now, and the blade he wielded was quite clearly a Zanpakutō, but there was no denying that the man he was looking at was his best friend. The short and unkempt dark hair, the black eyes with the friendly gleam to them… it was truly him.

Shisui Uchiha.

"Itachi, focus!" Rija ordered as she took a blow on her shield that had been meant for him, "We still have a job to do!"

Itachi nodded, his eyes narrowing as he turned his attention back to the fight. "Right."

 _We'll have to catch up later_ , he thought as he stabbed another Hollow in the chest, _but still… he's back._

 _ **Yet another reason for you to make it through this fight alive.**_

 _I couldn't agree more._

….

The pain was considerable, but Visaelya still retained enough awareness to know that she had to put pressure on her wounds and stop the bleeding. Her Academy robes weren't ideal, but they were all that she had to work with at the moment. Fortunately, the blood flow wasn't as bad as it had initially looked. She was hurt, but her wounds weren't as deep as she had first feared.

Unfortunately, she was a prime target for the Hollows now. All her instructors had been quite clear; once someone was wounded, the beasts would concentrate their efforts on that individual like sharks after bleeding prey in the water. Keeping pressure on her wounds meant that she could not fight back, while trying to defend herself would likely only make her injuries worse. Visaelya hated that she was stuck in this situation, but she could draw solace from the fact that she had defenders. While she might not be particularly fond of Jiraiya, she trusted his skills and his personal integrity enough to know that he would not let the Hollows get to her without a fight.

It wasn't Jiraiya that her gaze was on now, though. Her eyes were riveted to the Soul Reaper that had just saved her life…

…and was utterly _decimating_ the Hollows around her.

While Visaelya was still a student, she had always believed that she knew more than a thing or two about Hohō and Zanjutsu. She was in the advanced track, after all, and while she still had yet to surpass either Itachi or Jiraiya, her skills had always earned the praise of her instructors. The display her savoir was putting on now served as a stark reminder as to just how far she still had to go.

His sword was like a viper, striking at blinding speed before his foes had a chance to react. Each blow was as precise as it was lethal. As for the few Hollows that got the chance to attack him, none of their strikes even came close to touching him. He moved with an agility that Visaelya could only marvel at. At times he almost seemed _casual_ in the manner that he was dodging the blows of the Hollows.

After clearing out a space around them, the newcomer turned to Jiraiya. "Keep her stable until the Squad Four relief team is able to tend to her! I'll keep the Hollows off of you!"

Jiraiya nodded. "Right!"

He then knelt next to her and used his Zanpakutō to cut strips of fabric from his own robes. Visaelya could not help but be impressed with how Jiraiya was swiftly able to turn the torn clothing into makeshift bandages; he'd clearly done this before.

"Hold still," he said as he began to bind her wounds, "These won't perform as well as real bandages, but they should keep you alive until you can get real medical attention."

Visaelya nodded. "Right… thanks."

"Anytime," he replied.

Despite the seemingly carefree attitude he tended to have during class, Visaelya was surprised at just how serious Jiraiya could be when the occasion called for it. His conduct in the battle had been quite commendable, apart from the handful of irritating jokes he had cracked earlier, and he was handling his treatment of her wounds with the gravity that the situation warranted.

 _It seems that I misjudged him_ , she thought, _He may act like an oaf, but he is more than that. He's certainly not bothered by our current predicament, which is more than could be said for many students faced with their first real battle… myself included._

Confident in her classmate's ability to treat her wounds, even if it was only temporary, she returned her attention to the Soul Reaper that had saved her life. He was ripping through the Hollows like a cyclone, and that was just with a sealed Zanpakutō. Visaelya could sense from his spiritual pressure that he was actually holding back; with the amount of energy he had, there was no doubt in her mind that her savior was a seated officer, and one at a greater rank than Rija to boot.

She recalled hearing Itachi speak his name before Jiraiya had begun tending to her wounds, although it had been hard for her to make it out. "Shisui… they know each other?"

"So it would seem," said Jiraiya.

She felt as though her classmate knew more than he was letting on, but she decided not to press the matter. It wouldn't be fitting of someone of her stature to interrogate the man that was currently treating her injuries, after all. Besides, how Itachi and Shisui knew each other hardly mattered at the moment. What mattered right then and there was his ability to kill Hollows, and it appeared his talent in that realm was considerable.

Despite Visaelya being down and Jiraiya occupied by bandaging her wounds, the situation for their little group had actually stabilized. Now that the Hollows immediately surrounding Visaelya had been cleared out, Shisui had shifted his focus to holding the front with Itachi and Rija. The Fifteenth Seat had a confident smile on her face now, and Itachi seemed to be fighting with renewed vigor. Whoever Shisui was, he seemed to have enough of a connection with both fighters that his very presence was enough to bolster their morale.

"What's the situation down in the caves?" asked Rija as she sent another arc of lighting towards the beasts.

"There was heavy fighting when I broke off to chase these guys," said Shisui as he cut the legs out from under a Hollow before jamming his blade through its mask, "It's nothing the Captains can't handle, though."

"Good to hear," said Itachi as he sliced a monster's head clean from its neck.

"Let's wrap this up," said Rija, and Visaelya couldn't help but notice that her breathing had grown slightly labored, "I don't know how much juice I've got left."

Shisui nodded as he stabbed a Hollow through the side. "Itachi, fall back and guard the others. Rija, you got one more burst in you?"

"Absolutely!" she replied.

"Then let fly on my mark," he said, "Ready… mark!"

As both Shisui and Itachi stepped back, Rija made another wide slash with her sword. With the Hollows stunned by her latest lightning attack, the two Soul Reapers and the student now had a critical bit of breathing room. While Itachi moved towards Visaelya and Jiraiya, Shisui raised his Zanpakutō. The intensity of his spiritual pressure immediately surged, and Visaelya realized what was happening.

"Playtime," he said with a smile, "Kage no Kodomo!"

Dark blue energy engulfed his Zanpakutō as the weapon's Shikai was unleashed. The weapon shifted from a katana with blue handle wrapping and a black guard into a slender short sword. The guard had changed into a silver circle with four slits carved into it, and tendrils of dark blue spirit energy were wafting out from them.

 _Such a strange design_ , Visaelya thought, _I wonder what it does…_

She got her answer a moment later as Shisui raised his sword in mock salute, smirking at his opponents. "Let's go."

The dark blue spirit energy that had been gradually leaking from the slits in the silver circle that made up the weapon's guard suddenly became a flood. It quickly formed four distinct spheres, and a moment later those spheres took on human form. Visaelya's eyes widened in shock as she was soon confronted with the sight of not one, but _five_ Shisuis.

"What sorcery is this?" she whispered.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, well… now that brings back memories."

The Soul Reaper and his four copies moved as one, charging the Hollows. While their physical appearances were identical, Visaelya was able to detect a greater amount of spiritual pressure coming from one of them, which she assumed to be the real Shisui. It didn't seem matter that the clones were weaker than the original, though, as all of them swiftly began carving into the beasts before them. Weakened by Rija's earlier attack, they were no match for Shisui's onslaught.

Swiftly and efficiently, Shisui and the clones generated by his Shikai cut down the remaining Hollows. One of the beasts managed to get a defiant strike in, but it didn't hit the real Shisui; its claws met a clone, and the doppelganger simply dissipated into dark blue smoke. The Hollow's efforts were rewarded by the real Shisui stabbing it through the back of the head.

Visaelya could only look on in awe as her savior finished mopping up the surviving beasts. His speed, his power, his technique… they were all unlike anything that she had ever seen before. Through it all, he remained calm and in control, setting the pace of the fight and never missing a beat.

"Incredible…" she said softly.

Standing guard over her and Jiraiya, Itachi nodded. "Just like the old days…"

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "How do you two know each other?"

She was surprised to actually see a small smile appear on his face. "Another time, and another life."

Visaelya found herself blushing with embarrassment. It was so easy to forget that he and Jiraiya hadn't been born in the Soul Society like she had. Her etiquette lessons had been quite clear that asking someone like Itachi about their prior life was brutally insensitive to say the least, and yet she had blundered like a buffoon right across that line. Fortunately, he didn't seem particularly bothered by it.

The last Hollow fell as Shisui stabbed it through the chest. As the beast dissolved, the Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō reverted back to its sealed state. He smiled as he approached the others, and Visaelya's blush actually intensified; he was surprisingly handsome, now that she had a chance to study his appearance as opposed to just his fighting abilities.

 _W-what's gotten into me?_ , she thought, _I-I'm a noble! I shouldn't be ogling an officer l-like some common schoolgirl!_

"Glad that's over with," he said, and Visaelya's already burning face became red-hot as he knelt next to her, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm… I'm all right," she said softly as her gaze met his, "Thanks to you…"

Shisui nodded. "Glad to hear it. Looks like Jiraiya did a good job with those bandages. I should've expected nothing less from one of the Legendary Sannin."

Visaelya blinked in confusion. "Sannin? I beg your pardon?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "It's a long story."

"We never actually met in person," said Shisui, "but I was a great admirer of you. When Captain Shihōin told me that you were in the Soul Society, I was shocked; I didn't think there was anyone out there that could kill someone like you."

Jiraiya gave him a weary smile. "Yeah, well… there's always someone younger and more powerful out there. I had a good run. That's more than many can say."

Shisui then turned to Itachi. There was a moment of silence as the two men looked at each other, and Visaelya felt as though the very air around them had thickened. Something told her that the two of them had been more than casual acquaintances in whatever past life they'd shared.

It was Itachi that broke the silence. "How long have you known that I was here?"

Shisui sighed. "Since the Academy entrance exams. I wanted to come and find you, but Captain Shihōin overruled me. She said I'd be a distraction and wanted to keep me as a little surprise for when you graduated. Still… I'm sorry."

Itachi shook his head. "No, she was right. I needed to focus on my training… even though I would've liked to know that you were here. I thought about it when I arrived, and even considered looking for you, but... well, you know how big this place is."

Shisui nodded. "Indeed, I do."

He then stepped forward, held out his hand and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Itachi."

Itachi returned his smile and shook his hand. "You too, Shisui. It's been a long time."

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Shisui, "but I'd hoped that it would be longer. As incredible as the Soul Society is, I wanted you to live longer before seeing it. I guess that wasn't to be."

"It's all right," Itachi replied, "I had my time, and I used it the best that I could… and I made sure that your death was not in vain."

Shisui sighed with relief. "So you stopped our clan, then. That's good."

Itachi nodded, but Visaelya didn't fail to notice the dark look in his eyes. "Yes… though it came at a high price."

Shisui closed his eyes for a moment. "It really came down to that, did it? Damn…"

"Believe me," said Itachi grimly, "it wasn't a task that I undertook lightly. Still… it had to be done."

Visaelya looked back and forth between the two of them. "What are you talking about?"

Shisui opened his eyes and looked at her. "Something that I had left undone before my passing. I'm afraid it's a personal matter."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Forgive me for prying."

"It's all right," said Itachi, "We're still in the field, so now's hardly the time for us to be catching up."

"Agreed," said Rija, "We've got a job to do… and now one of us is wounded."

Visaelya looked down in shame. "I'm sorry… I thought I was stronger than this."

Shisui leaned down and put his hand on her shoulder. When she met his gaze again, she saw an encouraging smile on his face, and she felt herself begin to blush once more.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he said, "You did well to hold out as long as you did. You should be proud; you show great promise. I think by the time graduation rolls around you'll be more than ready to join the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Visaelya slowly nodded. "Oh… thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, "That being said, I think your part in this mission is over. Rija, take her back to the staging camp and see that the Squad Four relief team treats her immediately. I'll remain here with Itachi and Jiraiya to cover for you."

Rija smiled. "Understood, Shisui."

She knelt down and carefully picked up Visaelya. It was embarrassing to have to be carried like this, but she knew that it couldn't be helped this time; she certainly wouldn't be moving very quickly under her own power.

"You boys take care of yourselves," said Rija, "We'll see you back at camp!"

Before Visaelya could bid farewell the world around her became a blur as the Fifteenth Seat began the series of Flash Steps that would take them both back to the staging camp. Even so, the face of her savior remained perfectly clear in her mind's eye.

 _Shisui Uchiha…_

 _…thank you._

….

Once Rija and Visaelya disappeared, Itachi turned to Shisui. Since it was just the two of them and Jiraiya now, his old friend appeared more willing to let his guard down. He gave Itachi a smile, and the former Shinobi almost felt like he was back in Konoha.

 _Strange how a simple gesture can take one back to memories of better times_ , he thought, _I certainly won't complain, though._

"I really wanted to give you the grand tour of the Seireitei once Captain Shihōin told me that she'd found you," said Shisui, "This place is incredible, Itachi! Forget the Rukon District; the Seireitei alone puts our old village to shame several times over!"

Itachi nodded. "I'd like to explore it at length sometime, but as a student I'm confined to the Academy grounds most of the time. I have seen some of it, though. It's truly a fascinating place."

Jiraiya smiled. "It's impressive, but… well, you know what they say; you can't beat the comforts of home."

Shisui chuckled. "I know what you mean. I still find myself thinking of the Hidden Leaf Village from time to time. Still, that's no longer our home, no matter what our sense of nostalgia may say to the contrary."

"Good point," said Jiraiya.

Shisui turned to Itachi again, and the dark look in his eyes did not bode well. "I didn't want to go into too much detail in front of the others, but… how much does Jiraiya know about our clan?"

"I told him the truth," Itachi replied, "All of it. What they were planning, what we had planned in response… and what ultimately happened."

Shisui sighed, although now he looked a little nervous. "I see. Since my plan failed, I've got a pretty good idea as to what you had to do. Still… what happened to Sasuke? Did you have to…?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. That was the deal I struck with Danzō; the rest of the clan for Sasuke's life. I upheld my end of the bargain, and I took steps to make sure that he upheld his."

Shisui nodded, his apprehension replaced by pity. "I'm sure you did. I know you would do anything for your little brother. Sasuke, though… he must've hated you. There's no way that you could've told him the truth, after all."

"That's what I told myself for the longest time," Itachi admitted, "However, looking back on it all… it would have been better to tell him what really happened. He deserved the truth, not a lie. At least I got the chance to correct that mistake, although it came only after our final fight."

"The soul fracture incident, right?" asked Shisui, "Captain Shihōin told me about what happened, although she doesn't know about the world that you and I are from. Whoever performed the Resurrection Jutsu on you must've lost control at some point, otherwise I doubt they would've given you the chance to find Sasuke of your own will."

Itachi nodded. "That's correct. Before the Jutsu wore off, I was able to impart the truth to him. It was the least I could do after all that I put him through. It didn't change what I had done, but… I think it at least closed the circle, if you will."

Shisui smiled. "Sometimes, that's all we can do."

Jiraiya nodded. "Agreed. Now that we're all here, we have a chance to make a difference on a larger scale than we ever thought was possible. We can take the pain and loss that we experienced in life and use that to guide us going forward. We can avoid the mistakes of our past, if we have the wisdom to recognize them."

Itachi concurred. "Yes, although I for one have a long way to go on that front. There's still so much to learn about the Soul Society, not to mention my own power."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, I'm in the same boat, so no pressure there."

"You've both come quite a long way as it is," said Shisui, "Captain Shihōin's showed me your test scores; you're both dominating the Academy rankings. There's quite a bit of buzz going around about the two of you, and for good reason."

"That wasn't my intention," said Itachi, "I've no desire to draw attention to myself."

Shisui smirked. "Maybe, but you've done that just the same… especially with regards to Captain Shihōin. Whenever the subject of the Academy comes up, your name's the first word out of her mouth."

Itachi nodded. "I'm honored that she thinks so highly of me. After she saved my life, devoting myself to my studies was the least that I could do."

"Well, it's certainly paid off," Shisui replied, "She can't wait to recruit you, and I'm right there with you. After all, I know what you're capable of even more than she does!"

Itachi couldn't help but smile as he thought back on all the sparring matches they'd had in their old life. "Indeed, you do. I'm afraid some of that capability is gone, though… as I'm sure you're well aware of."

Shisui grinned, and there was a knowing look in his eyes that gave Itachi pause. "You mean the Sharingan? I wouldn't be so hasty, if I were you."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? The Sharingan does not activate after death; I tried to do so when I arrived here. It's gone, Shisui… and after the arrogance its power inspired in our clan, I don't think that's a bad thing."

Shisui nodded. "Oh, I get where you're coming from. However, I think you'll find that you're mistaken with regards to the status of the Sharingan in the afterlife."

His old friend closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again Itachi was stunned. Crimson irises, three black tomoe orbiting the pupil…

…it was the real deal.

"I'll be damned," muttered Jiraiya.

"How is this possible?" asked Itachi.

"When I first arrived, it was gone, just like yours," said Shisui, "I figured it wasn't something that we took with us when we died, and like you I actually didn't mind that too much. I joined the Academy and began my training as a Soul Reaper, and for a while that was all that I was focused on. Eventually I went out to the field, though, and one of my comrades got into trouble. I unlocked my Shikai that day… and the Sharingan. It was thanks to both that I was able to save them. Since then I've worked in secret to restore it to its full power, minus the Mangekyou. Not even the Captain knows about my Sharingan, and I plan to keep it that way for as long as I can."

"Probably for the best," said Itachi, "So it was awakened by your desire to protect someone? That sounds familiar."

Shisui smiled. "Indeed. It's not all that different from when we were alive. Your Sharingan's not gone, Itachi; it's just dormant. Give it time, and like your Shikai, you'll unlock the true power of your eyes soon enough."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "If that's true, then we may have a problem. You and I are hardly the only members of the Uchiha Clan to have passed on over the years, after all. The Sharingan made us formidable in life, to the point that you and I had to turn against our own family to thwart their ambitions. The Soul Society is vast, but…"

"You fear that our clan may be working to rebuild itself in the afterlife," Shisui finished for him, "I've made a few excursions into the Rukon District to look for signs of them, but I haven't found any."

Itachi sighed. "That doesn't mean that they aren't out there… and plenty of them would have reason to hold a grudge, given what I did to them."

"Death may have changed their perspective," Jiraiya pointed out, "Even if the Uchiha Clan did reconstitute itself in the Soul Society, I have a hard time believing that it'd be able to take on the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Shisui nodded. "I'm with you there. Hopefully they'll have moved on from the ambitions they had in life. That would be best for everyone."

"Agreed," said Itachi somberly.

Shisui smiled again. "In the meantime, we've got more pressing concerns on our hands. The mission's not over yet, and since Rija's taking Visaelya back to the staging camp, that means we've still got a point to hold. You guys still have some fight left in you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Plenty!"

Itachi nodded. "Same here."

"Good," said Shisui, "We'll stay here until Captain Shihōin gives us the all clear. Good to be working with you again, Itachi."

Itachi couldn't help but smile. "Likewise, Shisui."

….

"Take _this!_ " yelled Yoruichi as she kicked a Hollow right in the gut.

The blow sent the beast flying, and it knocked over three of its allies in the process. A single Flash Step was all it took for Yoruichi to pounce on them, and a few swift slashes from her Zanpakutō tore them all to shreds. She could sense another Hollow coming at her from behind, but she wasn't worried; she knew that her bodyguard had it in her sights.

Her faith was proven right a moment later as Soi-Fon intercepted the beast. Suzumebachi's twin stings were administered with blinding speed right to the Hollow's chest, and the monster began to succumb to the lethal poison seconds later.

 _She's getting even better with that technique_ , she thought with a smile, _I can't wait to see just how much further she can refine it!_

Putting some space between herself and the enemy, Yoruichi took a moment to assess the situation. From what she could see, it appeared that the surviving Hollows were attempting to fall back deeper into the cave. Their lines of retreat to the surface had been mostly cut off, apart from the group that her Tenth Seat had pursued earlier, and their numbers were definitely dwindling.

"I think we've got them on the ropes!" said Kisuke with a grin as he sliced a beast clean in half.

Yoruichi nodded. "Keep up the pressure! Let's end this here!"

With a Flash Step, she was back into the fray. Her Zanpakutō danced through the air, slashing one Hollow's throat and stabbing another through the torso in the blink of an eye. Soi-Fon was right beside her, and yet another Hollow fell to her lethal twin stings.

Squad Two's top fighters weren't the only ones carving into the enemy. Squad Ten was fighting just as fiercely, and clan rivalries aside, Yoruichi would freely admit that Rhaegon was giving a good accounting for himself. Her fellow Captain didn't look remotely tired, and in fact appeared to be slaughtering any Hollow unfortunate enough to cross his path with contemptuous ease. The same went for his Lieutenant and the rest of his top officers, all of whom were making steady headway through the horde of monsters.

Kisuke smirked as he stared down another charging group of Hollows. "Sing, Benihime!"

Once again, a wave of blood-red energy flew forth as he swung his Zanpakutō. The fearsome attack ripped apart the Hollows, and Kisuke immediately charged into the gap created by the dissolving beasts. One monster after another fell to his blade, and Yoruichi swiftly moved to join him. With her watching his back and Soi-Fon watching hers, the three of them mauled anything unfortunate enough to get in their way.

As she stabbed a Hollow through the back of the head, Yoruichi saw Kisuke's eyes narrow. Following his gaze, she saw that he was focused on a Hollow at the far end of the cave. There was nothing that particularly set it apart from its fellows at first glance, but Yoruichi was sure that her Third Seat had a good reason for singling it out.

"That one's about to bolt," he said as he stabbed another beast through the chest.

"Deeper into the caves?" she asked while slicing a monster's arm off.

Kisuke shook his head. "No, it's about to summon a Garganta."

"Does how it runs away really matter?" Soi-Fon argued while plunging her stinger blade into a Hollow's back, "Either way, if it retreats, then it'll come back later on! We need to kill it now!"

Yoruichi was inclined to agree with her bodyguard, but she knew that look in Kisuke's eyes. The gears in his mind were spinning; he wanted something from this particular Hollow.

"I'll be right back," he said before vanishing in a Flash Step.

The horde of Hollows had thinned out enough that a skilled practitioner of Shunpo could easily traverse the cavern, and Kisuke did precisely that. As Yoruichi took down another beast, she saw Kisuke reappear a little way off to the side of his target. His sudden appearance startled the monster, and sure enough, the space behind it began to shift. It soon opened like a mouth, and a swirling black mass was revealed by the rift.

 _He was right about it fleeing via Garganta_ , she thought as she decapitated another Hollow, _Kisuke, what are you playing at?_

Her Third Seat's eyes narrowed, and to Yoruichi it appeared that he was studying the Garganta itself rather than the Hollow that had created it. For a moment she thought that he might actually let the beast escape through it, but her fears were put to rest when he surged forward in the blink of an eye and thrust Benihime through the back of the Hollow's head. The Garganta collapsed, and the monster dissolved a moment later.

A Flash Step took Yoruichi over to him, and as she casually struck down another Hollow she addressed her Third Seat. "Mind telling me what that was about? You almost let it get away."

"I wanted to study the Garganta a bit," Kisuke replied as he effortlessly sliced another beast in half, "That was rather informative."

Yoruichi smirked while stabbing a third monster in the throat. "Oh, really? And what exactly are you going to do with that information?"

Kisuke smiled. "Well, if everything else goes my way, something fun!"

Yoruichi laughed; Kisuke's idea of 'fun' could be rather unorthodox at times, to put it mildly. "I bet! Well, just don't do anything crazier than usual, okay?"

Kisuke grinned. "No promises!"

Together they dived back into the fray. The remaining Hollows were in a state of full-blown panic now as the Soul Reapers moved to finish them off. The beasts fought frantically as they tried to escape, whether by going deeper into the cave or opening more Gargantas, but the net was closing in. Neither Squad Two or Ten had any intention of letting a single Hollow slip through their fingers, and both divisions were pressing their assault as they sensed that the battle was entering its home stretch.

"Oh, no you don't!" yelled Yoruichi as she sliced up a Hollow that had been trying to open a Garganta.

"Time to finish them off!" cried Soi-Fon as she struck down another beast that had been attempting to flee.

Yoruichi couldn't agree more. Unleashing the speed that she was so renowned for, she became naught but a blur of death. Her Zanpakutō was little more than the faintest of silver streaks in the air as she cut down none Hollow after another. Her foes didn't even see their own demise coming, and she wasn't about to give any of them the chance to fight back. She was precise, she was efficient, she was swift, and she was utterly lethal. No one could keep up with her, least of all the garden variety Hollows that she striking down in rapid succession.

As always, the Hollows fought on to the bitter end. It wasn't Soul Reaper policy to take the beasts alive, and Yoruichi wasn't aware of any instances of Hollows surrendering. If the beasts could not flee, then they would fight; there was no middle ground with them. They were primal, tenacious, and vicious, but none of that would do them any good this day.

 _Looks like there were no Menos among them_ , she thought idly as she carved up yet another foe, _I imagine we would've found them by now, otherwise. Small favors…_

Soon it was just a handful of beasts left, and then not even that. One by one they fell, until there was just a single Hollow remaining. The monster lunged at Rhaegon in a last, defiant attempt at a strike, but Squad Ten's Captain simply sidestepped the creature's attack before cutting it down.

Yoruichi sighed with relief as she surveyed the area to make sure that there were no stragglers. "Looks like it's finally over."

"Agreed," said Soi-Fon as she deactivated her Shikai and sheathed her blade, "Are you all right, Lady Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Of course. See? Not a scratch on me!"

Soi-Fon nodded and smiled in return. "Thank goodness."

"That wasn't too bad," said Kisuke as he looked around, "This lot wasn't much to write home about. Still, at least I got a little bit out of it."

Soi-Fon scowled. "Are you referring to that bit of stupidity where you almost let that Hollow escape through its Garganta? What the hell was that about? You were sloppy, Third Seat Urahara!"

Yoruichi put a hand on her shoulder. "That's enough, Soi-Fon. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but Kisuke had his reasons. Let it go, all right?"

Soi-Fon nodded, but not before shooting one last glare at Kisuke. "Fine."

"We should check up on the others," said Kisuke as he sheathed his blade, "The three of us might be fine, but we could still have some wounded to take care of."

Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. I want both of you to fan out and round up the others. Once everyone's accounted for, let's get back to the surface."

"Understood," Kisuke and Soi-Fon answered in unison.

….

"…and the next thing I knew, I'd gotten a face-full of the Captain's boobs!" said Shisui with a laugh.

Itachi shook his head but could not suppress a smirk. "I can't believe it… I know I heard Captain Muguruma mention after the entrance exams that she could Flash Step out of her clothes, but still…"

Jiraiya grinned. "Shisui, you lucky son of a bitch!"

Shisui gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it…"

"What possessed her to do such a thing in the first place?" asked Itachi.

Shisui smiled. "I was a newly seated officer, still learning the ropes. I might've been a bit too serious for my own good, so Captain Shihōin decided I needed a little teasing to loosen me up."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Too serious? You?"

Shisui shrugged. "What can I say? I took the second chance this afterlife offers to heart, but now that I look back on it, I think I was trying to change too much of who I was. I thought that, since this was essentially a new life, that I should try to be a new person. That wound up working against me though; my technique started to suffer because I wasn't allowing myself to get into a flow that came naturally to me. The Captain saw that and decided to address it. I'm glad that she did, but… well, I'm not sure if _that_ particular method was necessary."

"Indeed," said Itachi, "I never realized that she was such a… _liberated_ woman."

"She's definitely not as stiff as some of the other officers that you'll find in the Soul Society," Shisui replied, "Still, she does have a sense of decorum and propriety when it's appropriate. She is the heir to one of the Five Great Noble Houses, after all."

"I've been meaning to ask about that," said Jiraiya, "Since her family's so powerful, does that mean Squad Two gets preferential treatment? It sure seems like she gets away with quite a bit."

Shisui shook his head. "It's not quite that simple. Yes, it's true that her family's pretty high up in the Soul Society; the head of the Stealth Force is a position that always goes to a member of the Shihōin clan, and the same goes for the rank of Captain for Squad Two. They may both be hereditary offices for her family, but there's no denying that she's more than earned her rank. Her abilities and strength are recognized throughout the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and she consistently produces excellent results in missions that fall under her purview. She may be a bit more easy-going than other Captains, but she's also effective enough to get away with it. We're consistently in the Head Captain's good graces thanks to her, and as a result we tend to get entrusted with more than our share of special assignments that require top tier Soul Reapers to successfully complete. They're not just a sign of her position; they're genuinely challenging missions that keep us on our toes."

Itachi nodded. "I see. How do you like it in her division?"

Shisui smiled. "It's great. Honestly, I think it's the perfect one for guys like us. Its structure and mission profile are about as close as we could find to what we were used to as Shinobi. Hell, I think the Captain runs things better than a lot of the old Jōnin or Hokage. They could learn a thing or two from Squad Two!"

"High praise," said Jiraiya, "Sounds like we've got quite a treat to look forward to come graduation. Of course, that's assuming we're lucky enough to get picked for your division."

Shisui grinned. "Please, you two are shoo-ins for sure! I'm sure some of the other Captains will make offers to you, but if you ask me, you couldn't do better than Squad Two. Then again, after a few years as part of the division now I might be a little biased."

"I should hope so," said a familiar female voice, "I put a lot of work into making sure my subordinates feel welcome in my squad!"

The three men turned to see Yoruichi approaching them. She was flanked by Soi-Fon and Kisuke, and none of them seemed any worse for the wear.

"Captain Shihōin," Shisui greeted her, "I take it the operation's concluded, then?"

Yoruichi nodded. "All the Hollows that we could find have been eliminated."

"No thanks to _someone_ almost letting one get away," said Soi-Fon as she shot a glare at Kisuke.

Kisuke smiled. "Hey, now, there's no need for that kind of attitude! I still took it down, remember?"

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "That's not the point!"

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about," said Yoruichi as she looked around, "Where are Rija and Captain Drakken's niece?"

"By now, they should be back at the staging camp," Shisui replied, "The girl was wounded, so I ordered Rija to get her to the Squad Four relief team."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed in concern. "Is she all right?"

Shisui nodded. "Her wounds didn't look too bad, and Jiraiya did a good job of binding them in the field. Once Squad Four's finished with her she should be good as new, although she might still end up with a scar or two."

Yoruichi smiled with relief. "Sounds like things went about as well as they could have up here, then. Glad to hear it."

"How did the fighting down in the caves go?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well enough. The Hollows are gone, and apart from a few wounded we didn't suffer any real casualties."

"We still need to check in with the rest of the interceptor teams," Soi-Fon pointed out.

"Hopefully they'll be all right," said Kisuke, "I think the only group of Hollows that managed to make a break for the surface was the one that Shisui chased."

"If any of the other teams needed help, I imagine they would've sent a messenger or something by now," said Jiraiya.

Shisui nodded. "You're probably right. Still, we do need to make sure that they're all accounted for."

"The three of us will take care of that," said Yoruichi, "Shisui, I want you to go back to the staging camp with Itachi and Jiraiya, okay?"

"Understood, Captain," Shisui replied.

Yoruichi then turned to Itachi and gave him a soft smile. "I'm sorry that I kept Shisui hidden from you. From what he's told me, it sounds like you two were close friends in the past. I wanted to keep him as a little surprise for when you finally joined my unit, not to mention make sure that you were focused on your studies, but… well, now that I think about it, it all strikes me as selfish. I shouldn't have been playing a game like that with the two of you, especially given how far you've come since you started at the Academy; I think you could've kept making progress even with the knowledge that an old friend was out there, and it actually might've served as further motivation. Please, forgive me."

Itachi wasn't used to see her act so serious, but all the same, he appreciated the sincerity of her apology. "It's all right. I understand why you did it, and it _was_ important that I remained focused on my training. Our meeting like this today may not have been planned, but it was a pleasant surprise. Shisui's spoken quite highly of you; you've given him a place to belong in the Soul Society. Thank you… Yoruichi."

She seemed a bit surprised at his response, but she recovered quickly enough. "I see… you're quite welcome. I hope that I'll be able to do the same for you when you graduate and take your place in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Itachi replied.

She gave a warm laugh, and the light in her golden eyes burned like a brilliant summer sun. "You know, you may play the tall, dark and handsome role, but you've got a kind heart where it counts. Don't lose that, no matter what life throws at you."

Itachi was surprised to feel his face warm ever so slightly at her words. Was he actually on the verge of _blushing_? That wasn't like him at all. What had brought that on?

He heard the spirit of his Zanpakutō sigh. _**Idiot…**_

Itachi ignored the voice in his head and simply gave Yoruichi a nod. "I'll try to remember that."

"Good," she replied, "Now get back to the staging camp. I think you've put in more than your share of hard work for one day. Shisui, keep an eye on things there until I return, you got that?"

Shisui smiled. "Yes, ma'am!"

Yoruichi nodded. "We'll catch up with you later, then. See ya!"

She disappeared into a Flash Step a moment later, followed by Kisuke and Soi-Fon. Itachi and Jiraiya turned to Shisui, who gestured in the general direction of the camp.

"Come on, let's get a move on," he said, "We can check up on Rija and Visaelya back at camp. After that… well, I guess we've got some catching up to do."

"I'm looking forward to it," said Itachi.

"Hope you don't mind if I join the two of you," said Jiraiya, "It has been awhile since I've had someone else from the Hidden Leaf besides Itachi to talk to, after all."

Shisui grinned. "Sure thing. Let's move!"

As the three of them took off in the first of several Flash Steps, Itachi felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The mission was not technically over until they returned to the Soul Society, but the tension was already beginning to fade. Here he was, side by side with an old friend that he'd lost long ago. Once again, he was struck by just how fascinating, how _life-like_ , this afterlife of his truly was. In many ways, it was almost like he hadn't really died at all.

 _I hope that it is a long time until Sasuke makes his way to the Soul Society_ , he thought, _but when he does… if he lets me… there's so much of this place that I want to show him. If I can do so with Shisui, so much the better. May I see you again someday, little brother…_

 _…but not yet._

 _Not for many years to come._

 **Author's Notes:** With regards to Rija Usorba, if you're a Zelda fan then it probably didn't take you long to realize that she was based off of Urbosa from Breath of the Wild. Couldn't help it, she's my favorite Champion and I was dying to find a way to include her in a story of mine, even if it was under a different name! As for Obran Dorel, he's based off of another fictional character that I love, although not one from a video game: his model was Oberyn Martell from 'A Song of Ice and Fire', also known on HBO as Game of Thrones. While we're on the subject of 'Game of Thrones', if you follow the series then the physical appearances of Captain Rhaegon Drakken and his niece, Visaelya, along with how their names are structured, probably rang a few bells. That's intentional; they're pretty much dead ringers for House Targaryen, minus the incest. Yeah, I felt that might've been a bridge too far.

This story draws elements and influences from a few grand fantasy epics. 'A Song of Ice and Fire' is definitely one of them, no denying that. There is one more, though, and its influence will be felt quite keenly in the next chapter. You'll find out what it is in due time.

On an unrelated note, Shisui's back! Yes, I know some of you said it would be cliché if it was him. Here's the thing; I'd planned on bringing him in from the beginning, and that wasn't going to change no matter what you guys said. If you don't like it, that's your deal. Don't take this personally, but I've got more important things to worry about.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Notes:** Well, I suppose it's time to put the next one up. Actually, this is the last of the chapters that I had already completed prior to when I started posting content for this story, so from here on out the release rate's going to slow up. Sorry about that.

This chapter's different from the previous one in that it's basically a cross between a history lesson and an archaeological expedition. Many of the major changes I've made to the Soul Society's history will be brought to light here, and it will play an important role in future events for the story. So no real action in this chapter, it's mostly exposition and exploration. Don't worry, the excitement will pick back up in subsequent chapters.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Ten: Wonders of Old**

 **145 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town**

The Academy grounds were an absolute splendor to behold in springtime. Even though she'd seen them plenty of times before, Yoruichi still could not help but smile as she looked upon the cherry trees in full bloom. Classes had just recently gotten out for the day, so the main courtyard was filled with students heading for the dorms or meeting up with friends for some late afternoon leisure time.

She took a deep breath and inhaled the wonderful scent of the cherry blossoms. "Ah… this really takes me back."

To her right, Soi-Fon nodded. "It is nice to return here. This courtyard was a very soothing place to study when I was going through my training."

To her left, her other companion, Squad Twelve Captain Kirio Hikifune, smiled. "Indeed. I wish we had enough space at my division's barracks to recreate this. Our training yard's nice, but it could do with a little more natural beauty."

Yoruichi nodded. "Same with mine. I've had my family's decorators and gardeners come by a few times, but there's really only so much they can do with the space available."

Kirio shrugged. "Oh, well. We have much more important matters at hand than gardening, anyway."

Yoruichi smiled. "That's true. We really should get a move on; it took quite a bit of work for me to convince the Head Captain to get these three a short-term approved leave from class for this little mission of ours. We need to make the most of it!"

Soi-Fon gave her a skeptical look. "Lady Yoruichi, with all due respect, was it really necessary to include them in this? Between Squads Two and Twelve, we already have more than enough people for this assignment. We hardly need to include students in the roster, regardless of how gifted they might be."

Yoruichi shook her head. "It's not a question of manpower, Soi-Fon. They've only got a year left at the Academy before graduation. I'm sure that they've been studying hard since the last little operation we took them on, but there's no better preparation for what they'll face out there once they're through here than to get them out into the field as much as possible."

"She's right, Soi-Fon," said Kirio, "Besides, as you're well aware, there's more to being a Soul Reaper than just purifying Hollows and performing the Konsō on lost souls. The mission that we're going on is an ideal example of an assignment that falls outside those first two tasks. Academy students don't normally get much exposure to missions like ours, so if we can give a few members of the advanced track a taste of the more exotic assignments that they might be given once they join us on active duty they'll be much more prepared for them when the time comes."

"Very well," Soi-Fon conceded, "but why these three in particular? They're the best of the fifth-year advanced track, but if we're only looking for quality then shouldn't we be seeking out students in the sixth-year group?"

Yoruichi smirked. "Normally you'd have a point, Soi-Fon, but even the students in their last year got nothing on these three; their most recent test scores are proof enough of that!"

"Not to mention that one of them in particular is shaping up to be the most sought-after recruit of his class!" chirped Kirio with a grin, "I've been meaning to work on my sales pitch for him, but you've been hogging him all to yourself, Yoruichi! That ends today; you're not getting him without a fight!"

Yoruichi chuckled. "Bring it on, Kirio."

Soi-Fon looked around the courtyard. "So, where do you think Itachi's at? Should we check the dorms?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "From what I've heard, it seems that he likes to go to the library once class is over. Let's start there."

"Hopefully the other two will be there as well," said Kirio, "It would save us some time."

 _Indeed_ , she mused, _and from what Rija and Shisui told me after that mission last year, it would seem that the three of them have become a little group of their own, at least if the way they fought against the Hollows together is any indication. We might just get lucky…_

The three of them made their way to the library, but it turned out that luck wasn't quite on their side. They found Itachi sitting near the back reading, but neither Jiraiya nor Visaelya were with him.

"So much for finding all three at once," Soi-Fon muttered.

Yoruichi shrugged. "We'll track the other two down soon enough."

"Forget about them for now," said Kirio, eagerly eyeing Itachi, "Let's go say hello!"

Yoruichi was amused; she hadn't seen her colleague this excited about a man in quite some time. She wondered how Kirio's Lieutenant would react if she learned that her Captain's attention was at risk of being stolen by someone else; Hiyori Sarugaki was notoriously temperamental.

 _You'd better hope that Kirio doesn't talk about you in front of her Lieutenant, Itachi_ , she thought, _I'd hate to imagine what Hiyori would do to you…_

She saw him look up as the three of them approached. "Yoruichi…"

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "That's Captain Shihōin or Lady Yoruichi to you, Itachi Uchiha!"

Kirio put her hand on Soi-Fon's shoulder. "Calm down, Soi-Fon. We're in a library, after all."

"That still doesn't mean that he should be allowed to address Lady Yoruichi so informally," Soi-Fon huffed.

Yoruichi laughed. "Soi-Fon, you _really_ need to lighten up. I've told him before that it's fine for him to address me like that. Honestly, I prefer it that way. How's it going, Itachi?"

Itachi nodded as he stood up to greet her. "Very well, thank you. It's been some time, Yoruichi."

Kirio gave her a knowing smirk. "You two are on a first name basis? What have I been missing out on?"

Yoruichi chuckled. "I know where your mind's going Kirio, and it's nothing quite like that."

 _Although I wouldn't exactly say no if it were_ , she thought as she looked the handsome student over, _Itachi, you're a treat for the eyes that never gets old…_

She saw him tense up ever so slightly; was he aware of how she was eyeing him? Yoruichi had thought that she was being subtle, but apparently Itachi's senses were even sharper than she had previously realized. She gave him a friendly smile to put him at ease; now wasn't the time for teasing, no matter how much she might enjoy it.

"It's good to see you as well, Miss Soi-Fon," he said with a slight bow.

Soi-Fon nodded. "Likewise. I hope you've been keeping up with your studies; your performance reflects upon Lady Yoruichi since she vouched for you in the past."

"I can assure you that I've been taking them as seriously as ever," Itachi replied.

Yoruichi gave Soi-Fon a pat on the back. "Come on, Soi-Fon, stop giving him a hard time. You've seen his test scores, too; you know that he's doing just fine."

"Fine would be an understatement," said Kirio with a grin as she stepped forward, "Hello, Itachi. Do you remember me?"

"Of course," he replied, "It's been a long time, Captain Hikifune."

Kirio giggled. "Oh, there's no need for formality. Please, call me Kirio!"

 _And you were getting on_ my _case about being on a first name basis with him_ , thought Yoruichi with a smirk, _Kirio, you're as shameless as ever!_

Itachi seemed a bit taken aback by that. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, of course!" she said, "There's no need to be so stiff and proper when the Head Captain's not looking over our shoulders. Or Ginrei Kuchiki, for that matter; the two of them seriously need to learn to relax a little more."

Yoruichi chuckled. "That's putting it mildly."

"I'll take your word for it," said Itachi, "If you don't mind me asking, what brings you all here?"

"Something special's come up," Yoruichi replied, "An opportunity that could serve to benefit both the Soul Society and you, along with Jiraiya and Visaelya."

"We've been looking for a few gifted students to take with us on a field assignment," said Kirio, "You certainly fit the bill, and I'm sure your two fellow classmates do as well!"

"What sort of field assignment did you have in mind?" he asked.

"One that would involve you spending at least a few days away from the Academy," Yoruichi replied, "We've already cleared it with your instructors, and it'll even count as bonus course credit."

"That being said, you should still be prepared to work hard upon your return," Soi-Fon pointed out, "You will have extra work to do, after all."

Itachi nodded. "Of course. It won't be a problem."

Kirio smiled. "You certainly don't lack for confidence! I'm feeling better about our decision to bring you along by the minute!"

"With all due respect, you still haven't completely answered my question," said Itachi, "I would like to know more about what I'm getting myself into."

"Don't worry," said Yoruichi, "We'll fill you in on the juicy details as soon as we round up Jiraiya and Visaelya."

"Do you know where we might find them?" asked Soi-Fon.

"Jiraiya should be back at the dorms," said Itachi, "I believe he wanted to spend some time working on his latest novel. As for Visaelya, I believe she's at the meditation hall; her Zanpakutō recently awakened, so she's redoubled her Jinzen training."

Kirio raised her eyebrow. "Captain Drakken's niece has already awakened her Zanpakutō? Impressive."

"Indeed," said Soi-Fon, "It's the first I've heard of it."

Yoruichi nodded. "Same here. Well, good for her. Sounds like she's coming along quite nicely."

"Yes," said Itachi, "Her Zanjutsu is improving as well, especially considering our latest match."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me that she actually _beat_ you? From I've heard, you're untouchable in your sparring class."

Itachi shook her head. "She's achieved no victories over me, but her level of growth has been substantial. In that light, I would say that our sparring matches have been a success."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying that you've taken it upon yourself to train her in lieu of the Academy's instructors?"

"No," said Itachi, "She initiates the challenges of her own free will. However, that does not mean that I cannot use them to help her refine her technique."

Yoruichi smiled. "Well, how about that… you took a potential rival and turned her into a friend. Itachi, you're really something else, you know that?"

Itachi looked a bit taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Yoruichi chuckled and shook her head. "Never mind. Come on, let's go and round up the others. We've got a lot of material to go over before we hit the road."

….

"Sorry for the short notice," said Yoruichi as she opened the door to an empty lecture hall.

Itachi shook his head. "It's all right. It's not like any of us were busy."

"Easy for you to say," Jiraiya retorted, "I was just about to have a big breakthrough on my next chapter! I was so close, I could feel it! All I needed was just a little something extra…"

Visaelya glared at him. "Let me guess; another trip to the women's bath for 'research'? Pervert."

Jiraiya held up his hands in faux-surrender. "Hey, now! There's no call for that, Little Miss Vissy!"

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?" she snapped.

Kirio giggled as the three of them took their seats in the front row of the hall. "My, my… if your banter's any indication, I have a feeling that we won't lack for entertainment on this assignment!"

Yoruichi smirked. "Well, a comedy act never hurts morale, so I'm all for it!"

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "Lady Yoruichi, please don't encourage this sort of behavior."

 _I'm with her_ , thought Itachi, _I'd like to get through this mission without Visaelya being at Jiraiya's throat…_

Yoruichi gave her bodyguard a smile. "Oh, all right, Soi-Fon. At least, I think we can save it for the road."

"How far will we be travelling on this assignment?" asked Itachi, rather intrigued as to what Yoruichi was getting him involved in.

"Quite some ways," Yoruichi admitted, "Even with periodic use of Shunpo, for students like you it'll be quite the trip on foot."

"And we won't be using Shunpo the whole way," Kirio added, "We can't have you three getting worn out on us, after all."

"Hold on there," said Jiraiya, "I know we may not exactly be at your level of proficiency yet but give us some credit! We're in the advanced track for a reason, after all."

Yoruichi nodded. "Believe me, we're well aware of that. The three of you have gotten superb marks in your Hohō class, and none of us our doubted your abilities. However, we'll still be pacing ourselves on this one, for your sakes as well as that of our subordinates."

"Understood," said Itachi, "We'll do our best not to slow you down."

"So where exactly are we going?" asked Visaelya.

"We'll come to that in a moment," said Kirio, "Fist thing's first; how much have your history classes taught you about the era of the Soul Society that predates the Central Forty-Six and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads?"

All three of them raised their eyebrows; they certainly hadn't been expecting that particular line of questioning. Itachi had a hard time seeing how it might be relevant to a field mission, but he figured that Squad Twelve's Captain wouldn't bring it up without a good reason.

"Not much," Jiraiya admitted, "In fact… well, to be honest, our instructors seemed quite intent on avoiding it altogether. Whenever someone asked a question about it in class, they always wound up deflecting and changing the subject."

Itachi nodded. "He's right. I always found that to be odd. If the instructors say anything at all, they only refer to it as a period of corruption and violence before moving on to another topic. There's surprisingly little material available in the student library that so much as references it, either."

Visaelya closed her eyes for a moment, and Itachi realized that she knew the answer. "It's because they don't _want_ us to study it. In fact, with each passing generation, they've been doing everything in their power to bury the memory of that era."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're correct. Let me guess; the Drakken family archives are much more comprehensive than those of the student library, correct?"

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly. "Yes… how did you know that?"

Yoruichi smirked. "I'm from a Great Noble House too, remember. The Central Forty-Six wouldn't dare touch our archives, so they've survived the slow historical cleansing that's been taking place over the past two-thousand years. My private tutor before I enrolled in the Academy made sure that my history lessons included material covering that era. I'm assuming yours did, too."

"That's correct," Visaelya replied, "and I think I have a better understanding of our mission, now; it involves the old kingdom. A remnant of Nur-Andunaya has resurfaced, hasn't it?"

Kirio smiled. "You catch on quickly."

Itachi and Jiraiya shared a confused glance. This was the first time either of them had heard that name before.

"Nur-Andunaya?" said Jiraiya, "Is that supposed to mean something special?"

"What is it?" asked Itachi, "If it's important enough to have relevance to a mission involving two divisions of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, then why are we only learning about it now?"

Kirio turned to Yoruichi. "Do you want to tell them, or should I?"

"I've got a better idea," said Yoruichi, "Visaelya, since you're the only one out of the three of you receive instruction regarding that particular era, why don't _you_ fill them in on the old kingdom?"

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly. " _Me_ , Captain? Are you sure?"

Yoruichi nodded. "I don't see why not. Your education on the subject would likely have been similar to mine, not to mention more recent."

"There's no need for it to be comprehensive," Kirio pointed out, "Just a summary that's informative enough to give them a decent grasp of the nature of the old kingdom. How it came into being, how far it stretched, how and why it fell; nothing too complicated."

Visaelya turned to Itachi and Jiraiya, surprisingly looking a little self-conscious. "Well… what would the two of you prefer?"

Jiraiya smiled. "We trust you, don't we, Itachi?"

Itachi nodded. "You know the Soul Society far better than the two of us, and the prior education you received as a member of one of the Great Noble Houses gives you a considerable base of knowledge to draw upon. We'd be honored if you would share that gift with us."

That appeared to be all the encouragement that she needed, for Itachi noticed that her typical confident demeanor swiftly reasserted itself. "Very well, then. In the interest of saving time, I will try to limit myself to the most important aspects regarding this topic… although even that may be rather difficult; the shadow that the old kingdom casts over the contemporary Soul Society is vast, regardless of how hard the Central Forty-Six tries to bury it."

"Indeed," said Yoruichi.

"Begin whenever you're ready," said Kirio, "Don't feel that you have to rush things on our account; go at your own pace. Take your time; we're prepared to be here for a while."

"Be mindful," Soi-Fon added as she gave Itachi and Jiraiya a firm look, "While speaking of the old kingdom isn't a crime in and of itself, it can draw unwanted attention if the wrong people learn that knowledge of it is spreading. What the two of you learn in this room today, along with whatever we uncover out in the field, should not be brought up in conversation with others outside this group lightly. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Itachi replied.

"We'll be discreet," said Jiraiya.

Visaelya took a deep breath before beginning her impromptu lesson. "As you have both seen in our classes, the Soul Society stretches far beyond the Seireitei, and even the Rukon District. Our field operation with Squads Two and Ten last year offered a taste of the vast expanse known as The Wild, and I believe that the ancestral homelands of the Five Great Noble Houses, the Principalities, were also briefly discussed while we were travelling to our objective."

Itachi nodded. "I remember. The Drakken Clan's Principality is far to the east, correct?"

"Correct," Visaelya replied.

"The Shihōin Clan has one too, right?" asked Jiraiya, "Way down south, wasn't it?"

"Yes," said Visaelya, "Slightly to the southwest, to be precise. There are actually two Great Noble Houses with Principalities in the south; the second is the Shiba Clan, whose ancestral homelands are in the southeast. Meanwhile, the far north is dominated by the Principality of the Starmont Clan. Last but not least, the Kuchiki Clan's Principality makes up much of the far west, including the coast. Although this was never touched upon in our history classes, all five Principalities are actually linked to the old kingdom. In fact, they are perhaps the best places to find preserved traces of Nur-Andunaya these days due in no small part to their distance from the heart of the Soul Society. Of course, there's also the fact that the Five Great Noble Houses owe much of the power and influence they wield over the modern Soul Society to the foundations that were laid by the old kingdom."

"How so?" asked Itachi.

Visaelya shook her head. "It would be best to start with the roots of the kingdom before getting into that. It's further back than most people are aware; roughly six-thousand years, give or take a century or two."

Jiraiya whistled. "That long ago, eh?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Interesting…"

"Oddly enough, the kingdom's roots are actually in the heart of the Soul Society," said Visaelya, "Back then, the Seireitei wasn't as well organized or developed, and there wasn't much of a real central government. There was still the Soul King, of course, but as you both know, the Soul King is not a monarch in the traditional sense."

Itachi nodded. "Right. He's the linchpin of all reality… or at least, that's how our instructors have put it. It's rather hard to wrap one's mind around, really."

Visaelya sighed. "I know what you mean. Even with the lessons of my private tutors, I still had trouble fully grasping the concept. I think I still do, at least when it comes to the finer details."

Jiraiya leaned forward. "The Soul King's been in the Royal Realm about as far back as anyone can remember, right? I'm assuming that was still the case in the time period that you're describing, anyway."

Visaelya nodded. "You're correct. The ancient Seireitei was under the control of several ruling lords, but they squabbled to such an extent that the rest of the Soul Society was in a state of almost perpetual unrest. Rather than the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the Soul Society had to rely on private militias run by what were essentially warlords. What few historical records of this time period remain suggest that these forces spent almost as much time fighting each other as they did the Hollows. They could barely be bothered to look after the souls that resided in the Soul Society, let alone the Realms of the Living. In short, you could describe it as the Soul Society's Dark Age."

"That sounds familiar," said Itachi somberly, "The Realm of the Living that we were from suffered from considerable chaos and strife in its past. We called it the Warring States Period."

Jiraiya nodded. "Neither of us were alive at the time, but we both had a chance to study the history of it during our formal education. While there were multiple accounts written by various parties and factions, all were in agreement on the fact that it was pretty much Hell on Earth."

Visaelya looked intrigued, and for a moment Itachi thought she was going to inquire into the matter, but apparently felt that it was best to remain on topic. "I see. Well, from what few records of the era that predated the old kingdom have survived, that same description would not be far off with regards to the Seireitei and the broader Soul Society. Instead of ensuring peace and security in the afterlife, the nobles and their warlords turned it into a realm rife with conflict and suffering. A newly arrived soul would've found very little rest, and between the factional fighting and the depredations of Hollows they would've been hard-pressed just to survive. This was a state of affairs that clearly could not be viable in the long-term, but no one had the strength, wisdom or will to put an end to it. The denizens of the Royal Realm washed their hands of the matter; as long as the flow of souls between the Soul Society and the Realms of the Living continued, that was all they felt the need to worry about."

"But without a unified force to ensure balance, the flow of souls would've been threatened regardless," Jiraiya pointed out.

"You're not wrong," Visaelya conceded, "However, for whatever reason, those who resided in the Royal Realm apparently felt that the threat wasn't severe enough to warrant action. Hence the petty conflicts continued, until a group of noble families decided they'd had enough. Rather than remain in the Seireitei and continue to play a role in the never-ending squabbles, they took all their assets, household vassals, and many like-minded and desperate souls into what amounted to a self-imposed exile. The passed into the west, reached the far shores, and then built ships. The Great Western Ocean was largely unexplored in those days, but rumors from a few brave mariners spoke of islands that could be inhabited. No maps to these islands had been made, and in fact such talk was largely dismissed as the idle chatter of daydreaming fishermen. The Wayfarers, as the records of those days refer to them, were desperate to escape the civil strife of the continental Soul Society and seized upon these rumors as a last hope for a chance to start anew. Once sufficiently large and numerous ships had been constructed, they sailed into the setting sun and disappeared. The Seireitei and the rest of the Soul Society wrote them off as lunatics, and the Wayfarers' voyage became joking referred to as 'The Great Journey', with most seeing it as an elaborate form of collective suicide."

Itachi folded his arms. "Let me guess; the Wayfarers ultimately had the last laugh?"

Yoruichi chuckled. "You could say that."

Visaelya nodded. "Indeed. Whether by luck or design, they eventually came upon a large island. It was fertile, surrounded by waters that teemed with life, and was rich in mineral deposits, particularly beneath the mountains that made up the island's center. Scouting parties were eventually able to map the shape of the entire island, and it roughly took on the form of a large nine-pointed star. That shape, combined with the fact that navigation by starlight had been crucial to their survival during The Great Journey, ultimately contributed to the kingdom's name; Nur-Andunaya, 'The Realm of Starlight'."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "I can appreciate the name 'Realm of Starlight', but Nur-Andunaya? What language does that originate from?"

"It's an offshoot of the tongue that dominated the noble circles of the Seireitei back in those days," Visaelya replied, "While the Wayfarers wanted to start anew, they naturally could not completely abandon their preferred means of communication. Instead, they developed a new form to symbolize their fledgling realm; the records that survive refer to it as Andunayan. Two distinct flavors were known; generic Andunayan was the tongue of the common folk, while High Andunayan was spoken by the those who came to rule the island. At the height of the old kingdom's dominance, both dialects were known throughout the Soul Society, but nowadays to find anyone with more than a passing knowledge of them is quite rare."

Kirio smiled. "Quite rare outside of the nobility, that is."

"Quite true," said Yoruichi, "Learning both common and High Andunayan in addition to our modern tongue is basically required by all children of the nobility, especially in powerful clans like mine and Visaelya's."

Itachi was curious. "Why? The Soul Society's rulers have been trying to suppress knowledge of the old kingdom, right? Wouldn't banning the study of its dominant language be part of that effort?"

"It is, at least when it comes to general education," said Soi-Fon, "However, nobles are granted an exception due to so many ancient and valuable manuscripts being written in the old kingdom's tongue. The same goes for certain Soul Reapers and officials in key positions."

Jiraiya smirked as he looked at Kirio. "Like high ranking officers in Squad Twelve, right?"

Kirio nodded. "Correct. While each division maintains its own records, Squad Twelve's archives are by far the most expansive. Due to the fact that much of our work isn't quite the same as your typical Hollow extermination or Konsō missions, we often find ourselves relying on books, scrolls, and other such documents from ancient times. Knowledge of both generic and High Andunayan is essential for my division, and officers are given lessons in how to read and translate it after a probationary period in the unit."

"I see," said Itachi before turning back to Visaelya, "Since the language is so prominent in the Soul Society's past, I'm assuming that when the Wayfarers returned from their self-imposed exile they came in force."

Visaelya smiled. "Correct, although it was not without substantial preparation. While they were quite happy with their new island kingdom, the Andunayans still desired to remain informed as to what was happening in the rest of the Soul Society. They were particularly worried about a potential attack from rival noble houses that might've learned of their realm, so they took certain precautions. The records don't offer precise dates, but it would seem that about two or three-hundred years after the establishment of Nur-Andunaya the kingdom began to dispatch spies to the mainland. These came in a variety of forms, including fishermen, merchants, mercenaries and more. Regardless of their disguise, their purpose remained the same; to pass along any vital information regarding activity in the continental Soul Society back to the island kingdom."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "So, did the nobles who stayed behind in the Seireitei ever learn of the new kingdom?"

Visaelya shook her head. "Not until the Andunayans returned to the western shores roughly seven-hundred years after The Great Journey."

"What brought them back?" asked Itachi, "If no one had learned of their new kingdom, then why would they return to the land that they'd been so desperate to leave behind?"

"For centuries, it had been their policy to remain detached from the rest of the Soul Society," said Visaelya, "However, the infighting that had plagued the Seireitei and beyond had only gotten worse since The Great Journey. Hardly anyone was bothering to oversee the flow of souls, and Hollows were running rampant. It was not a situation that could be allowed to stand for much longer, regardless of the Andunayans' wishes. A Soul Society that does not protect souls and preserve the balance between the afterlife and the Realms of the Living is an invitation to the apocalypse. It wouldn't matter how isolated Nur-Andunaya was; they'd be caught up in the inevitable cataclysm just the same as everyone else."

Jiraiya nodded. "So they were acting out of self-preservation when they returned. Makes sense, although it does take away some of the nobility."

Visaelya shook her head. "While self-preservation did indeed play a role, the records that survived to this day indicate that it wasn't quite that straightforward. In the years leading up to the return, a new king ascended to the throne of Nur-Andunaya. The realm was very different than the small and isolated kingdom it had started out as; although the rest of the Soul Society was unaware of it, Nur-Andunaya had become the afterlife's first true naval power. The Andunayans had grown greatly in numbers, and they were not confined to their single island; they had charted and colonized numerous other islands over the centuries, and their mastery of seafaring was unrivaled. At the same time, ever wary of potential discovery and attack from outsiders, they'd refined their knowledge of forging weapons and armor. Although they had no Zanpakutō, they were well-versed in the arts of making Spirit Weapons."

Itachi raised an eyebrow; this was the first time he'd heard that term. "Spirit Weapons?"

Visaelya smiled. "Our Academy instructors may focus on the Zanpakutō, but in truth they are not the only weapons out there that can be used to take on Hollows. Before Ōetsu Nimaiya conceived and created what we recognize as the modern Zanpakutō, our ancestors needed another way to fight Hollows. Kidō was useful, as was Hohō and Hakuda, but without actual weapons to complement them their effectiveness would've been severely reduced. Long before even The Great Journey, craftsmen had discovered the means by which to forge weapons that were imbued with spirit energy. While not as adaptable or powerful as the Zanpakutō, they could still perform two of its key functions; the Konsō and Hollow Purification. When paired with skilled wielders with considerable amounts of spirit energy, these weapons proved to be quite effective. While they may have eventually been supplanted by the Zanpakutō, you can still find Spirit Weapons scattered across the Soul Society, and in the right hands they are capable of going toe-to-toe with the blades of Soul Reapers."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Let me guess; the Andunayans turned out to be better than most when it came to creating these Spirit Weapons, right?"

"Indeed," said Visaelya, "The apex of the age of Spirit Weapons was reached under the Andunayans. They took the craft to an artform like none before them, and despite the old kingdom's downfall, the weapons forged by its craftsmen are still highly sought after by collectors and warriors alike. Many pieces created by Andunayan smiths are one of a kind, imbued with such potent spirit energy that they're rumored to be equal to that of a Soul Reaper's Shikai."

Jiraiya whistled. "Impressive."

"You've got that right," said Yoruichi, "The Thirteen Court Guard Squads are always on the lookout for such weapons; we don't want them falling into the wrong hands. Squad Twelve actually has a vault beneath its barracks devoted entirely to storing the ones that Soul Reapers have found in their missions."

Kirio sighed. "Unfortunately, our collection is far from complete. So many powerful Spirit Weapons remain unaccounted for."

Yoruichi winced. "Yeah… and noble families like mine are part of the problem."

"What do you mean?" asked Itachi.

"Powerful clans tend to be given a lot of leeway by the Central Forty-Six," said Soi-Fon, "That includes, among other things, the types of weapons such families are allowed to issue to their household guards and vassals."

Yoruichi nodded. "The Shihōin Clan has its own stockpile of Spirit Weapons, including several unique pieces with great power. The other Great Noble Houses have their own arsenals and collections, and they jealously guard them. No one outside of a house's elders and guard captains knows the exact number of pieces that said clan has collected or the nature of them."

"That seems like a rather dangerous setup," said Jiraiya, "With each noble family seeking out ancient weapons and keeping which ones they've acquired a secret, that's practically begging for an arms race between rival clans."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "It does seem unstable. What keeps the clans from using these weapons against each other?"

"The might of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," said Soi-Fon, "If any of them engage in violence against each other and threaten the security of the Seireitei and the broader Soul Society, they will bring the full wrath of our forces down upon them."

"Soi-Fon's right," said Yoruichi with a dark look in her eyes, "In fact, part of Squad Two's duties, or rather, those of the Stealth Force, is to keep the peace within the Seireitei and look for signs of unrest. We're always on the lookout for indicators that one noble house or another may be attempting to assert its power in a manner that disrupts the order of the Soul Society, and that includes keeping watch for hints of potentially lethal power struggles between the clans. Ever member of the nobility knows this, and in the past the Stealth Force has acted to put down uprisings and civil wars before they begin… and we've done so without hesitation or mercy."

She didn't go into further detail, and she didn't have to; Itachi could quite easily imagine what that might entail. After all, it was practically a word-for-word description of what he had done to his own clan.

 _We might be more alike than I'd previously imagined_ , he thought as he carefully studied her, _Yoruichi…_

"You mentioned armor earlier as well," said Jiraiya, "Was that more popular back then? I don't think I've ever seen any Soul Reapers wearing armor."

"Most conventional armor actually isn't that effective against Hollows," said Kirio, "Their claws and fangs are quite sharp, and that's not even getting into the Menos and what they're capable of doing. Also, armor tends to slow one down in a fight, and if the armor's not going to be very effective against the Hollows they're fighting anyway then there's little point in Soul Reapers wearing it and suffering a critical reduction in speed."

"There is an exception to that, though," Yoruichi pointed out, "Spirit Armor is quite another thing when compared to conventional armor."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "I'm assuming that Spirit Armor is similar in principle to Spirit Weapons. Does that sound about right?"

Visaelya nodded. "In some aspects, yes. As the name implies, it's armor imbued with spirit energy. The most basic effect of this is to boost the armor's toughness, but there are other benefits as well."

"Like what?" asked Jiraiya.

Kirio raised a finger as if she were lecturing a class, which wasn't entirely inaccurate given the circumstances. "It depends on the armor in question. Most sets that we've discovered, along with surviving records, indicate that a great deal of customization was involved in the process of crafting Spirit Armor. In addition to protection, certain sets would either boost particular attributes or grant new abilities. One of the most common enhancements crafted into such armor was to enable an increase in the wearer's natural healing capabilities. Others included amplified physical strength or spiritual pressure."

"Those are just some of the basic ones," Yoruichi added, "More advanced enhancements included imbuing armor sets with elemental resistances, or even granting the wearer a limited amount of control over forces such as fire or ice. Hell, we actually found one set that was modified so that whenever it was struck it would trigger an explosion and burn the attacker!"

"There were even rumors of sets that had more sinister abilities," said Soi-Fon darkly, "Sets that would grant the wearer an incredible boost to their natural and spiritual abilities, but at the cost of draining their life force. Others actually enabled the wearer to leech life energy from their enemies through physical contact. No doubt there are plenty other sets out there with dangerous abilities that we haven't uncovered yet."

"Dangerous abilities aside, this Spirit Armor sounds quite useful," said Itachi, "Why did its use fall out of favor?"

"For starters, there was the cost of creating it," Visaelya answered, "Both in materials and time, the process was not cheap. It takes far greater resources and spirit energy to create Spirit Armor than it does to forge Spirit Weapons. There's also the fact that those who were trained in the art of making such armor were never particularly numerous. It's a highly advanced discipline that requires years of training, not to mention an incredible amount of precise work with the forger's spirit energy. Even amongst populations rich in spirit energy like the denizens of the Seireitei there are few capable of that sort of fine manipulation with their power."

 __"Also, due to the Andunayans' skill in crafting Spirit Armor, it inevitably became associated with them," said Yoruichi somberly, "Since the Soul Society has been engaging in active suppression efforts regarding the old kingdom for the past two-thousand years, that naturally extends to burying practices that were well connected to it. Spirit Armor may be useful, but by elevating their gifts for crafting it to an artform, the Andunayans ironically wound up dooming it to a long and drawn-out death. Apart from a few artisans and masters employed by the Great Noble Houses, the craft's all but extinct."

 __Kirio sighed. "It's such a shame, really. Renewed study in the craft could be a boon to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. If the process could be refined, the armor lightened, and production costs reduced… there's just so much potential."

Yoruichi smiled. "You're starting to sound like Kisuke."

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "That's not a good thing, you know."

Kirio giggled. "Oh, I'm not so sure… sometimes I think he's got the right idea when it comes to his little inventions and side-projects. If nothing else, you've got a tremendously creative and gifted Third Seat, Yoruichi."

Squad Two's Captain nodded, and Itachi could detect a hint of pride in her voice. "You've got that right."

 __Visaelya cleared her throat in an effort to get the conversation back on track. "Anyways, with such high-quality Spirit Weapons and Armor, the Andunayans would've been a formidable force in battle. Like I said before, their numbers had grown considerably since they'd founded their kingdom, and that went for the royal family as well; the reigning king at the time of their return to the continent had five daughters and four sons. Given the significance of the number nine in Andunayan culture, it's safe to say that this also had an effect on how the people regarded their ruling family; they felt that it was a sign, although as to what it might portend was the subject of some debate. Having such an expansive family wound up being a considerable asset when the king decided it was time to end Nur-Andunaya's isolation, though."

Jiraiya leaned forward. "Really? How so?"

"As powerful as the Andunayans were, there was no way that they could bring order to the Soul Society on their own," Visaelya replied, "They needed allies. Fortunately, given the way the noble clans on the continent were fractured, finding new friends wasn't exactly difficult. Thanks in large part to the network of spies they had sown throughout the Soul Society, the Andunayan king already had an idea as to who he would approach. Five families in particular were key."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess; the same ones that currently make up the Five Great Noble Houses."

Visaelya nodded. "Precisely. Although they did not hold great power within the Seireitei at the time, their ancestral lands gave them a considerable amount of resources and manpower. Each family also brought its own unique gifts to the table, and the Andunayans were eager to bring them over to their side. In order to seal the new alliance, the king pledged each of his daughters to one of the clans. Once the marriage ceremonies were complete and the pacts finalized, the combined forces of the Andunayans and the Five Great Noble Houses all but encircled the heart of the Soul Society. The nobles that occupied the Seireitei at the time were still too busy squabbling with each other to realize their peril. By the time they finally understood what had happened, it was already too late."

"So, what happened next?" asked Jiraiya, "Did the nobles in the Seireitei end up uniting to face this new threat to their power?"

Visaelya shook her head. "One would think that having an external foe appear would've given them cause to do just that, and indeed many of them tried to do so, but petty rivalries and base ambition prevented any concrete alliances from taking shape. The coalition of the Andunayans and the Five Great Noble Houses were able to essentially pick them off one at a time. Some they coaxed into the alliance through offers of trade and promises of both personal and political security. Others were quite intransigent, though, and thus more forceful means were required in order to deal with them."

"How bad did it get?" asked Itachi.

Visaelya sighed. "From what I understand… it was an ugly affair. Assassinations and the burning of supply stocks were typically the opening strikes. Spreading misinformation, stealing weapons, hostage taking… the Andunayans and their allies may have had a noble goal, but the methods they employed to reach it were often another matter entirely. With a hostile house reeling from an extended campaign, being weakened severely from the shadows before they even had a chance to face the Andunayans in open combat, by the time those that had refused to yield were able to marshal their forces they were at a considerable disadvantage. Even on their way to the field, they weren't safe; the Andunayans and their allies would subject them to withering hit-and-run strikes, attacking at night to maximize confusion and panic. It was quite rare that they had to face an intact army on the field; most of the time their enemies could only bring forth a battered and demoralized force by the time the sabotage campaign was complete."

Itachi nodded; campaigns like that sounded _very_ familiar. "Not necessarily heroic, but no doubt it was quite effective."

"Indeed," said Visaelya, "Our instructors in the Academy may not like to talk about, but according to my private tutors it's an excellent example of how conquest should be conducted. By offering friendship, security and wealth with one hand while holding a knife behind their back with the other, they executed a divide-and-conquer strategy that had no historical precedent in the Soul Society. Nothing even close to its scale and sophistication had ever been attempted before, and the petty nobles of the Seireitei had no idea how to respond. Riven by pointless rivalries and driven to new depths of paranoia by the campaign, unity proved beyond them, and that wound up being their undoing."

Jiraiya rubbed his chin in thought. "Maybe, but still… there's something missing in all of this. If the Seireitei was truly overwhelmed, then why didn't the Royal Guard step in? A situation as drastic as the one you're describing had to have fit whatever criteria they might've had for intervention."

Visaelya nodded. "That's true. To be honest, the fact that the Royal Guard _refused_ to intervene in the entire conflict has long been a mystery that's baffled scholars. There are several competing theories, but no conclusive answer has ever been provided."

Yoruichi smiled. "I remember Minerva told me hers during one of lessons. She believed that the Royal Guard recognized that the Andunayans and the houses allied with them would be much more capable of providing safety and security for the broader Soul Society, along with enabling much more active hunting of Hollows in the Realms of the Living to help preserve the balance of souls. Due to that, she surmised that the Royal Guard essentially sat out the conflict until the Andunayans finally secured the Seireitei, and then came to an accommodation with them afterwards."

"That's certainly plausible," said Kirio, "It's also possible that the Andunayans may have found a way to reach out to the Royal Realm beforehand and explain their intentions."

"Whatever the case may be, in the end it's irrelevant," said Soi-Fon, "The Royal Guard's primary mission is to protect the Soul King. As long as they determined the Andunayans and their allies to not be a threat to the Soul King, any other concerns would've meant little to them."

"Not necessarily," Yoruichi argued, "Preserving the balance of souls is important, although it's not something that the Royal Guard would directly involve themselves in unless they felt there was no other alternative."

Soi-Fon nodded. "That's true, Lady Yoruichi. I should've accounted for that."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, it was all so long ago that it hardly matters why they sat out the whole show at this point."

"True enough," said Visaelya, "It was more than enough to ensure the end result; the Andunayans and their allies took control of both the Rukon District and the Seireitei. For an outside force to accomplish such a tremendous feat was quite a shock to both nobles and commoners alike, and many feared what the new order might bring. According to the records, it was the period immediately after the conquest that proved to be the tensest; everyone outside the coalition was desperate to know just how the victors would preside over the vast realm and what it would mean for the people going forward."

"What ultimately happened?" asked Itachi.

Visaelya smiled. "In short, it was the beginning of a new golden age for the Soul Society. The Seireitei was finally brought under a single strong, central authority, and unity there meant greater cohesion for the Soul Society as a whole. The army marshalled by the Andunayans and their allies became the kingdom's peacekeeping force, and it was also used against Hollows in the Realms of the Living to great effect. In unprecedented accord reached with the Royal Realm, the ruler of Nur-Andunaya was allowed to take on the title of High King and allowed to govern over the Soul Society in the name of the Soul King. To facilitate such a political union, the High King agreed to send one of his four sons to the Royal Realm to act as an intermediary, a position that would become hereditary. For the first time in ages, there was finally peace in the Seireitei."

"How did the people of the Rukon District react to all of this?" asked Jiraiya.

"The newly forged kingdom was well-received there," Visaelya replied, "Especially after it became clear that the High King's commitment to providing security against both marauders and Hollows was genuine. At the height of the old kingdom's power, the Rukon District knew a level of safety and organization that had never been achieved before… or since, for that matter."

Yoruichi reluctantly nodded. "All too true. It's sad to say that the Central Forty-Six doesn't share the same level of concern for the Rukon District as the old kingdom did. They tend to focus more on the Seireitei, which means that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads oftentimes don't get out into the Rukon District to keep the peace as much as we should. I wish that weren't the case."

Kirio sighed. "Yes, it's quite a sorry state of affairs. Hollow intrusions, like the one you and Itachi found yourselves on the other end of the night you met Yoruichi and Unohana, have become more common lately as a result of the Central Forty-Six's insular thinking. It's still not as bad as the near-anarchy and constant infighting that reigned in the days before the rise of the old kingdom, but it's hardly an ideal situation."

"Squad Two continues to advocate for an increased patrol presence in the Rukon District," Soi-Fon added, "While Lady Yoruichi does send us out on missions there, the simple fact of the matter is that the Rukon District is too vast for us to police on our own. We need the cooperation of the other squads in order to effectively maintain a security presence out there, but with the Central Forty-Six directing much of the necessary funding and resources to the Seireitei it's unfortunately tied our hands."

Itachi leaned forward. "If it's an issue of resources, wouldn't the most obvious solution be to increase the available manpower? In the time I've spent at the Academy I couldn't help but notice that there is actually significantly more space in the classrooms and dormitories than what our current numbers require. Some of the vacancies may be due to attrition, but even discounting that there's still plenty of leftover room."

Jiraiya nodded. "I agree. Given how vast the Soul Society is, there's gotta be far more people out there with latent spirit energy that's potent enough to qualify them for Soul Reaper training than what's currently represented by our class sizes. An increased recruitment drive would go a long way towards alleviating any personnel shortages."

Yoruichi smiled. "You two continue to impress me; you cut to the heart of problems much more quickly than others, whether they be students or fully trained Soul Reapers. Visaelya, I'm assuming your thoughts on the problem are the same?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes, Captain Shihōin. I know that part of the problem is powerful families like ours constantly recruiting people with strong spirit energy for our own personal guard forces, but even discounting that there are likely still far more potential trainees out in the Soul Society than the noble clans are capable of finding on their own. An increase in recruitment resources for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would be a sound investment with both short and long-term payoffs. Given the simplicity of the solution, I have a hard time fathoming why the Central Forty-Six has not already implemented such measures."

Kirio somberly shook her head. "The short and long answer to that is politics. I wish that weren't the situation, but it's what we have to deal with. Denying reality will not make it any easier for us to deal with."

Yoruichi grimaced. "Can't argue with that. We're starting to get sidetracked again, though. Recruitment's an issue for another time."

"You're right, Captain Shihōin," said Visaelya, "It wasn't just the Rukon District that became safer under the old kingdom; the Seireitei's reorganization under the Andunayans greatly improved its security. In fact, although its current rulers would be most reluctant to admit this, the modern Seireitei owes much of its contemporary defenses and fortifications to the efforts of the old kingdom. For example, the great wall of Sekkiseki rock that descends to protect the Seireitei from invaders was actually developed thanks to cooperation between the Andunayans and the Royal Realm. This is just the most prominent of their defensive innovations. Another legacy is the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; before they came into being, the primary military force of the Soul Society was the thirteen armies created and maintained by the old kingdom. For those who are aware of this history, the signs of links between the old kingdom and the contemporary Soul Society are not hard to find, no matter how much the Central Forty-Six may try to make it otherwise."

Itachi leaned forward. "There's something that bothers me. You said that the king of Nur-Andunaya became the High King of the Soul Society after the campaign was concluded, right? If he had nine children, how was the line of succession organized?"

Jiraiya nodded. "With that many kids, it's not hard to see them fighting amongst themselves when the time came for a new ruler to rise."

"That is a valid concern," Visaelya conceded, "First of all, since the five daughters had already married into the Five Great Noble Houses, that precluded them from seeking the throne for themselves. That left the four sons, the youngest of which had gone to reside in the Royal Realm per the accord reached between the Andunayans and the Royal Guard. The remaining three were carefully divided and given great responsibilities in the hopes of preventing infighting when the time for succession inevitably came. The eldest was granted the title of Prince Chancellor and charged with overseeing the day-to-day governance of the Seireitei; this was seen as suitable training for the day that they would ascend to the throne. The second son in line became the Marshal General, head of the thirteen armies and all the militias operating under them. The office of Marshal General became hereditary to members of the Royal Family, and while a powerful position it also came with a decree enacted proclaiming that the holder of the title was ineligible for seeking the throne, so it was never passed to a firstborn child of any generation. Finally, the third son was granted the title of High Lord of Andunaya and sailed west to rule the island that the old kingdom had been founded upon. His line would continue to hold dominance there until the _Darfulth_."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The _Darfulth_?"

"My apologies," said Visaelya, "It's High Andunayan. The translation into our common tongue would roughly be 'Downfall'. As you might expect, it refers to the demise of the old kingdom, although the Central Forty-Six would of course prefer that no one uses the High Andunayan term for it nowadays."

"I see," said Jiraiya, "and how did this downfall come about? From what you've been describing, it sounds like this old kingdom was not only powerful but popular with the people. It must've been faced with a truly devastating crisis for it to have collapsed."

Visaelya nodded. "It was, but… it was a crisis of its own making."

Itachi leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

"For most of the thousands of years that it held sway, the old kingdom helped ensure peace and justice throughout the Soul Society," Visaelya replied, "However, as the power and prestige of the Andunayans continued to grow, it began to manifest itself in increasingly open displays of arrogance over the passing millennia. These were small at first; the creation of new festivals and holidays, fresh honors and ranks bestowed upon those whom already held great power, that sort of thing. Initially these were believed to be relatively harmless gestures, little more than the boasting of a kingdom that had achieved unprecedented degrees of strength and unity over the Soul Society. However, these displays gradually grew to be more and more ostentatious, particularly among members of the royal family as they competed with each other. Soon it wasn't just festivals and grand titles but extravagant monuments and grandiose military expeditions, all borne at great expense. The pride of the High Kings swelled with each subsequent generation, until at last one known to history as Arn-Melgothron, He Who Arises In Might, committed the ultimate sacrilege; he declared himself to be sovereign over all of creation, an explicit challenge to the Royal Realm and the Soul King."

Jiraiya shook his head. "That couldn't have ended well."

"Indeed," said Visaelya grimly, "It stirred tremendous outrage throughout the Soul Society. The growing arrogance and greed of the High Kings and their closest supporters had been borne by the people of the Soul Society with a correspondingly increasing amount of distrust and resentment, and this wound up being the straw that broke the camel's back. The majority of the aristocracy, including the heads of all five Great Noble Houses, demanded that Arn-Melgothron abdicate the throne and go into exile as penance while allowing the current Prince Chancellor to claim the kingship. Unfortunately, not only did the High King refuse to do so, he was backed by the Marshal General, his second eldest son. The rulers of the Soul Society soon became split into two rival factions; those loyal to the High King, known as the Sovereigntists, and those loyal to the Prince Chancellor, who became labeled as the Succesionists. While the might of the kingdom's military was on the side of the Sovereigntists, the Succesionists held the support of not only the bulk of the noble families but also the common people. More importantly, though, was the fact that the Royal Realm was on their side. With tensions rapidly reaching a boiling point, it was only a matter of time before the standoff erupted into civil war."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "So what spark lit the powder keg?"

Visaelya closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them they held a dark look. "While the High King and the Prince Chancellor belonged to opposing factions, ultimately they were still father and firstborn son. When the High King invited the Prince Chancellor to private talks over tea, the son accepted. The records indicate that the Prince Chancellor at the time was diplomatic, humble, and wise; he must've believed that he should take all possible avenues to resolve the crisis short of violence. His commitment to peace and stability was commendable. Unfortunately, his father did not share those virtues. He was also treacherous; as soon as the Prince Chancellor entered the room, he found himself trapped in a binding spell cast by his own father. That was when the Marshal General revealed himself from behind a false wall panel… and stabbed his elder brother through the heart."

Jiraiya sighed mournfully. "Fratricide… and for what? Power? It's just so petty."

"You're hardly alone in believing that," said Visaelya, "From where the High King and the Marshal General were sitting, I imagine that the calculus made sense. They likely saw it as eliminating the leader of their opposition, and probably hoped that without the head the body would die. However, that wound up being a grievous miscalculation. The Prince Chancellor was beloved by both the aristocracy and the common folk, and despite the statements from the High King proclaiming his eldest son a traitor to the realm they were enraged at his death. Arn-Melgothron's lust for dominance turned the Prince Chancellor into a martyr and galvanized the opposition. More critically, though, it created a schism with the ranks of the thirteen armies."

Itachi nodded. "Makes sense. After all, if the High King was willing to murder his eldest son in the name of power, he likely would've thought much less of the lives of the kingdom's soldiers. They saw what he was capable of doing to members of his own family… it must've given them pause."

Visaelya nodded. "More than that; it shattered the unity of the thirteen armies. Factions within each division began declaring for the Succesionists. Arn-Melgothron's power had been based almost entirely on the loyalty of the Marshal General and the kingdom's military beneath him. With that power base now divided, the High King's position became much more vulnerable."

Yoruichi smirked. "There's a delicious irony to it all, really. The High King and the Marshal General had intended to cripple the opposition, but by killing the Prince Chancellor they instead inflicted a mortal wound upon their own cause."

"Quite so," said Visaelya, "The Prince Chancellor's murder became the catalyst for the bloodletting that followed. Units of the thirteen armies that had declared for the opposition attempted to arrest the High King and the Marshal General. However, Sovereigntist soldiers were able to secure the two men and spirit them away before the opposition could take them into custody. Infighting swiftly broke out in the barracks, and eventually troops loyal to the Succesionists consolidated around the Seireitei estates of the Five Great Noble Houses. The High King and the Marshal General gathered their forces at the heart of the Seireitei, while the opposition sent frantic messages to both the commoners of the Rukon District and the denizens of the Royal Realm pleading for reinforcements. Their calls were answered, and not a moment too soon; the High King and the Marshal General launched an all-out assault on the opposition at dawn the following day. The entire Seireitei became consumed by the raging fires of a full-blown civil war."

Itachi winced; as experienced as he was, even he couldn't begin to imagine the extent of the carnage. "Who won the opening engagement?"

"It was hard-fought and costly, but eventually the Succesionists carried the day," Visaelya replied, "An ambush from warriors of the Shihōin Clan actually succeeded in assassinating the Marshal General, and while the High King narrowly escaped death himself on that occasion, the encounter severely rattled him. With the loss of their chief military commander, the Sovereigntists were eventually forced to withdraw from the Seireitei."

Yoruichi grinned. "They've written some pretty impressive songs over the years about how my ancestors scared the shit out of the High King that day. It's one of our more memorable contributions to the history of the Soul Society."

Visaelya smiled as well, and Itachi could detect the pride swelling up within her. "While I shall be the first to acknowledge the invaluable role that your family played in that engagement, I would be remiss if I did not mention how the Drakken Clan's elite dragon riders drove Sovereigntist divisions from the battle in terror. The threat of death by fire from a swarm of giant winged reptiles will have that effect on even the bravest of foot soldiers, especially when they're being cooked alive in their own armor."

Kirio giggled. "Ah, another example of the classic dick-waving contests between Clans Shihōin and Drakken… as if the Seireitei doesn't have enough of that going on already."

Yoruichi laughed. "Yeah, I guess we do tend to get a little heated about those from time to time!"

Visaelya nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "Yes… I suppose Great Noble Houses like ours can be a little… _excessive_ when it comes to flaunting our accomplishments."

Yoruichi gave her an encouraging smile. "Trust me, Visaelya, you're fine. It's more the men in your family that tend to go overboard with that sort of thing… _especially_ your uncle."

"No need to remind me, Lady Yoruichi," Soi-Fon quipped dryly, "It took him forever to shut up the last time his family's history was brought up in conversation with him. That meeting we were all at took far longer than it had to because of it."

Visaelya cleared her through. "Great feats from our respective families aside, there was little call for celebration after the Sovereigntists had been driven from the Seireitei. The Succesionists had suffered considerable losses amongst their ranks as well, and while the High King and his followers were in retreat they still had plenty of fighting strength remaining. The opposition needed time to secure the Seireitei completely and give its forces a chance to regroup, which provided the Sovereigntists with an opportunity to strategically reposition themselves for the next phase of the conflict. They wound up fortifying a significant portion of the western Rukon District. With secure housing for their troops and easy access to supplies, it was believed that they could hold out there indefinitely while preparing a counteroffensive to retake the Seireitei. The records indicate that the High King thought as much, but as it turned out, the people of the Rukon District had other ideas."

Jiraiya grinned. "Let me guess; a people's revolt?"

"Yes," Visaelya replied, "The Prince Chancellor may have primarily been charged with administration over the Seireitei when he was alive, but even in that capacity his thoughts had never been far from the needs of the Rukon District. During his period of governance, he directed much-needed resources there from the Seireitei, bolstering patrols and heavily investing in public works designed to improve sanitation, healthcare, and other essential services. He even made several trips himself to the Rukon District to oversee such projects, making him one of the few royals that was actually accessible to the common people. The citizens of the Rukon District never forgot this… and they certainly weren't about to forgive the High King for murdering him."

"So, how did they strike against the Sovereigntists?" asked Itachi.

Visaelya smiled. "They may have been commoners, but they weren't stupid; they knew that a frontal assault against the High King's loyalist forces would be suicide. Instead, their first strike came through sabotage, and arson was a particularly favored tactic. Food stores, homes that had been seized by officers, and much more beside were set alight in the middle of the night. Weapons and armor were stolen in the chaos, and soldiers were lured into back alleys to be cut down. When the Sovereigntists attempted to crack down, the subsequent executions and punitive expeditions only served to further harden the commoners against the High King's followers. They sent messengers with valuable information regarding the Sovereigntists defenses to the Succesionists, and despite the fact that they were still licking their wounds from taking the Seireitei they recognized that they had to strike now while an active insurgency was on their side."

Itachi nodded. "They would've had to move quickly; civilians with stolen weapons and no combat training would've been hard-pressed to stand against an organized and professional fighting force."

"Quite so," said Visaelya, "The Royal Guard and the elite warriors of the Five Great Noble Houses formed the vanguard and struck before the Sovereigntists could put down the uprising for good. Other Succesionist forces took longer to arrive, but eventually they were able to inflict such severe losses on the Sovereigntists that they had no choice but to retreat. They pulled out of the Rukon District completely and headed west. At that point, the High King's plan became simply to flee the continental Soul Society with his Queen and surviving forces and hole up in the home island of Nur-Andunaya. His hope was that the vast distance between the island and the mainland, combined with the Andunayans' dominance over the sea, would discourage pursuit. However, he'd made a fatal mistake; he underestimated the depths of his crimes and just how far the opposition would go to bring him to justice."

"The royal family still dominated the home island at the time, correct?" asked Itachi, "Through the bloodline of the original High King's third son, yes?"

Visaelya nodded. "That's correct. The full details concerning the civil war hadn't yet reached the current High Lord of Andunaya, so despite some reservations he still welcomed the High King and Queen and offered them and their remaining followers safe harbor. Had the reigning High Lord understood the true breadth of the matter, perhaps things would've gone differently. Unfortunately, the hospitality that he extended to Arn-Melgothron proved to be a death sentence not just for the High Lord, but for all who inhabited the home island of Nur-Andunaya."

Jiraiya shook his head. "That sounds a little extreme. You're exaggerating, right?"

Visaelya sighed. "I wish I was. After the Sovereigntists were driven from the mainland, a great council was convened in the Seireitei. With the death of the Prince Chancellor and the retreat of the High King and Queen, the main branch of the royal family had no representation in these deliberations; the throne, for all intents and purposes, was wide open. Since the Five Great Noble Houses could claim royal blood through the lines of the five daughters of the first High King, they eagerly began jockeying for position. However, their individual arguments for ascension were ultimately rendered moot thanks to intervention from the Royal Realm."

Itachi leaned forward. "How so?"

"Do you recall what I said earlier about what happened to the fourth and youngest son of the original High King after the Andunayan coalition secured the Seireitei?" asked Visaelya.

Itachi nodded. "He had gone to the Royal Realm to serve as an intermediary between the Royal Family in the Soul Society and the Soul King's inner circle. That was thousands of years before the civil war, though. What role would he have to play?"

"Directly, none," said Visaelya, "However, his bloodline continued in the Royal Realm, and as I mentioned earlier, the position of intermediary was hereditary. The current holder of the position at the time of the civil war was also a powerful warrior, and thanks to the combination of his strength and his pedigree he became the decisive factor in ending the civil war. The Royal Realm dispatched him to the Seireitei to present a decree to the council; the position of High King of the Soul Society was abolished effective immediately. Since the intermediary had the full backing of the Royal Realm, including the Royal Guard, the council did not dare to protest the matter. The intermediary was also charged with executing another decree; that the home island of Nur-Andunaya be laid to waste and its inhabitants all killed."

Jiraiya glared at her. "So they were all condemned to death even though the inhabitants of the home island had played no part in the violence? Is this the justice of the Soul Society?"

Visaelya gave him a mournful look. "I never said that I agreed with the decree, Jiraiya. However, whatever opposition you and I might feel to such harsh measures is practically irrelevant now. After all, it happened nearly two-thousand years ago; our protests, regardless of how righteous they may be, cannot change what has already been done."

"I know that," Jiraiya growled, "but am I really supposed to ignore the fact that the foundations for the modern Soul Society were laid upon an act of utter slaughter?"

Visaelya closed her eyes for a moment. "If you wish to dispute the matter with the perpetrator, I imagine you'll have your chance to do so upon graduation. After all, they'll be the one presiding over the ceremony."

Both Itachi and Jiraiya were caught completely off-guard by that. They knew instantly who she was referring to, and it hit like a punch to the face.

"You're serious…" Itachi murmured.

Jiraiya shook his head. "I'll be damned…"

Visaelya nodded solemnly. "Yes. His original Andunayan name has been lost to history, deliberately; he abandoned it as a symbol of his dedication to carrying out his mission, and the Central Forty-Six has since purged all traces of it from records official and otherwise. The name he took on as a replacement is one that you know quite well; Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto."

"I think I'm starting to see how he actually became Head Captain," Jiraiya quipped with a dark edge in his voice.

"Even back then, his power was almost beyond reckoning," said Visaelya, "No army was required to destroy Nur-Andunaya. A single ship took the future Head Captain to his destination. The Andunayans believed it was carrying an envoy seeking to offer terms; they did not realize that it actually bore their downfall. Not many eyewitness accounts from the sailors were preserved, but one did survive in the Drakken family archives."

Yoruichi nodded. "The Shihōin family archives have one as well; one of my ancestors was part of the retinue on board the ship. I imagine their accounts and those preserved in your family's archives are similar."

"I believe so," Visaelya replied, "Please, feel free to point out any discrepancies if you hear them."

Yoruichi smiled. "I doubt I'll have any need for that. You've been doing pretty well so far."

"Thank you, Captain Shihōin," said Visaelya before turning back to Itachi and Jiraiya, "According to the records, the ship pulled right into the chief harbor of Nur-Andunaya unopposed. Lord Yamamoto departed the ship alone, but not before giving an explicit order to the vessel's captain; that he was to immediately remove the ship from port as soon as he had gone ashore and put at least five miles between the vessel and the shore… and that he was not to return for him until it was over. I can't imagine what might've gone through that captain's mind as he pulled his ship out of the harbor, especially given what was subsequently unleashed upon Nur-Andunaya."

"So, how did he do it?" asked Itachi grimly, "How did Head Captain Yamamoto go about murdering an entire island's worth of people?"

There was a long pause before Visaelya responded. "According to the records, everyone on the ship, from nobles down to lowly soldiers and crewmen, had an affinity for spirit energy. Therefore… they could all sense the moment Lord Yamamoto unleashed his Bankai. Even if they hadn't, though, they wouldn't have needed to; the flames that engulfed Nur-Andunaya were of such intensity that the accounts compare it to a second sun being born on the surface of the Earth itself. Even as far out to sea as the ship had gotten, people still jumped into the water for relief, so oppressive and powerful was the heat emitted. Given other accounts I've read of the Head Captain's power, it's quite frankly a marvel that the ship itself didn't burst into flames even at such a considerable distance."

Jiraiya grimaced. "Death by fire… that's a bad way to go."

Another grim thought crossed Itachi's mind. "You said earlier that the Andunayans had colonized other islands as well, right? What happened to them?"

"They met the same fate," Visaelya replied, "although it was by Shikai; Lord Yamamoto's Bankai was reserved for the home island alone. One by one, the remaining island settlements were scoured by the flames of Ryūjin Jakka. The Royal Realm would not allow any of them to stand, less they be used as a base from which to rebuild Nur-Andunaya. It took some time to track them all down, but in the end, the purge of the Realm of Starlight was absolute. The islands themselves may still exist, but according to rumors the few sailors who've ventured that far into the west have found only blackened and crumbling ruins."

"An example to any who might wish to set up a base of power separate from that of the Soul Society and the Royal Realm," said Itachi, "Sound about right?"

Visaelya sighed. "I cannot say for sure, but that's one plausible theory. In the end, it hardly matters. Nur-Andunaya was destroyed, and the realm that was built on the foundations it lay in the heart of the Soul Society became the one that we all know today. The divisions of the thirteen armies that sided with the opposition were reorganized into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, with Lord Yamamoto becoming their first and so-far only Head Captain. The great council that had been convened after the Seireitei and Rukon District was secured was eventually reformed and expanded until it took shape as the governing body we all recognize as the Central Forty-Six. Thus, the modern Soul Society was born, and it's been working continuously to bury all traces of its predecessor ever since."

Kirio smiled. "It hasn't been quite as thorough as the Central Forty-Six might like, though. That's where our mission comes in!"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes… I suppose I went on much longer than I should have. Forgive me for delaying you in presenting your mission briefing, Captain Hikifune; Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Don't worry about it. After all, we were the ones who wanted you to give Itachi and Jiraiya the history lesson, and we gave you quite a meaty topic to boot. You did pretty well. Your instructors would be proud."

Visaelya smiled. "Thank you, Captain Shihōin."

Soi-Fon gave her Captain a pointed look. "That said, we really _should_ move on to our present concerns. The knowledge of the past will serve the students well once we arrive on-site, but without mission-specific context it lacks value."

"Quite true," said Kirio as she stepped forward, "Visaelya, you can sit down with Itachi and Jiraiya now. Captain Shihōin and I will take over from here."

Visaelya bowed. "Understood, Captain Hikifune."

As she did as the Captain instructed, Itachi watched as Kirio went over to the chalkboard and sketched out a very rough map of the Soul Society. Meanwhile, Yoruichi pulled out an envelope from her Captain's _haori_ , which Itachi assumed contained their mission orders. She withdrew one sheet of paper and passed it to Kirio. After consulting it for a moment, Squad Twelve's Captain proceeded to make some modifications to her map, with particular attention to detail given to the area north of the Rukon District.

"The Andunayans ruled the Soul Society for millennia," Yoruichi began, "and while for the most part it was considered to be a golden age, there were periods even before the _Darfulth_ where the might of the High Kings was challenged. Large tribes of bandits and marauders have been active in the Soul Society throughout its history, although they've typically been considered more of a nuisance than an actual threat. Normally they're fractured and fight amongst themselves as often as they raid settlements. However, there have been a few occasions where they've set aside their differences to form a united front. That's when the danger they pose to the residents of the Soul Society is the greatest."

"There were a few large armies of raiders that were formed during the reign of the High Kings," said Kirio, "When these gathered in sufficient strength, the Seireitei would marshal its forces to put them down. While infrequent when viewed in the larger context of the old kingdom's history, these suppression campaigns could be rather lengthy affairs. After all, the bandits typically knew The Wild much better than their opponents did. Still, eventually these raider armies would be cornered and forced into a major battle, and that would lead to their undoing."

Yoruichi nodded. "While many of them may have been skilled fighters, these marauders were no matched for the discipline and strength of the forces that the Seireitei could bring to bear against them. Still, despite the fact that these battles ended in victory for the armies of the High Kings, that doesn't change the fact that they were gruesome affairs. Once the campaigns were over, it was Andunayan tradition that grand barrows be carved into the land near the sight of the fiercest fighting for their honored dead."

Visaelya's eyes widened. "I've read about these Andunayan barrows before. Not only were the fallen soldiers of the old kingdom interred within them, but oftentimes their weapons and armor were laid to rest alongside them…"

Kirio smiled. "I see you're already catching on. Good. That'll make this much easier!"

Itachi could guess where this was going. "Has one of these barrows been discovered?"

Yoruichi grinned. "Very good, Itachi! One has, although it was by accident; one of Squad Two's Hollow hunting teams operating in the north stumbled across the entrance to one as they were finishing off their prey."

"Talk about a lucky break," said Jiraiya, "Did they get inside?"

"They were unable to do so," said Soi-Fon, "Not surprising, really; the barrows of the old kingdom were typically sealed with powerful Kidō spells. Breaking through the entrance barriers alone is no small task."

Kirio nodded. "You're quite right. Fortunately, it is a task that can be accomplished by sufficiently powerful and skilled Soul Reapers. Between Yoruichi and myself, overcoming the barriers shouldn't be too hard."

"Don't forget Kisuke," Yoruichi added, "With his advanced Kidō skills, we might able to crack the barriers with a little finesse rather than rely on brute force."

Kirio smiled. "Good point."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Kisuke Urahara? He's only your Third Seat though, right? Is he really that good?"

"You'd be surprised," Yoruichi replied, "Sometimes I think he's almost as good as Tessai. He could've gone far in the Kidō Corps, but it would've been a bit too restrictive given the broad nature of his talents."

"Some people _need_ to be restricted," Soi-Fon grumbled.

Yoruichi laughed. "Now, now, Soi-Fon, what have I told you about trying to place nice with him? If you need to be reminded, I could always _order_ you to serve as his subordinate the next time I send him into the field!"

Soi-Fon's face paled. "Th-that won't be necessary, Lady Yoruichi!"

"Is it really necessary for us to be forcing our way into them?" asked Itachi, "After all, if the barriers currently in place require the power of Captains to dispel, then I would hardly think that they're at risk of being breached by anyone outside the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Yoruichi nodded. "For the most part, you're right, but there's always the outside chance that someone with sufficient power who's not within our ranks learns of these barrows and is able to break into them. It's better that we get there first and do a proper survey. Whenever an Andunayan barrow is discovered, cataloguing their contents is considered to be top priority. Anything we deem to be dangerous is taken back to the Seireitei and placed in the custody of Squad Twelve."

Jiraiya sighed. "I understand the importance of making sure powerful Spirit Weapons and Armor don't fall into the wrong hands, but that doesn't change the fact that the mission you've got lined up here is basically grave robbery."

"It is a little unsavory," Kirio admitted, "but it is also necessary. Artifacts like the ones we may encounter in the barrows must be handled with care and cannot be left unsecured. Relying on the defenses put in place by the creators of the barrows is insufficient, no matter how formidable they might be. Now that we have located this barrow, it is our responsibility to secure it, catalogue its contents and transport them back to the Seireitei. That is the standing protocol of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and it is our duty to uphold it."

Itachi nodded. "Understood. Squad Two and Twelve's roles in this mission seem clear enough, but what about the three of us? As mere students, it doesn't seem like we'd have much to contribute to something like this."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't sell yourselves short. Of all the students currently attending the Academy, the three of you have by far the most impressive records. There's also the fact that I've had the privilege of overseeing operations that have involved the three of you out in the field since your education began, and you've acquitted yourselves very well on those occasions. At this point in your training, the best way for you to move forward is to get more time in the field, and this mission will offer you a unique chance to fine-tune your abilities."

"Not in a combat sense," Kirio added, "We don't anticipate any hostile contact in this operation, although we must always be on guard in case that does take place. Rather, we want to give the three of you a chance to test your observational skills in the field. Andunayan barrows aren't your ordinary tombs; they're quite expansive in size and require considerable effort to properly survey. You three have already demonstrated excellent situational awareness in the field, so bringing you along on this mission will give you an opportunity to expand those observational abilities to new kinds of environments."

"Well, when you put it that way, I suppose at the very least it'll be a learning experience," said Visaelya, "It'll also be rather historical, in a way. After all, the chance to explore an Andunayan barrow is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Jiraiya smiled. "Even if it is a grave, it'll be nice to explore a part of the Soul Society that's beyond the Seireitei and the Rukon District. So, just where in the north is this barrow?"

"In the foothills at the base of the Whitefell Mountains, so about halfway between the Seireitei and the Principality of the Starmont Clan," Yoruichi replied, "It's just to the east of the central trade pass. We'll have quite a trip ahead of us."

"When do we set out?" asked Itachi.

"Tomorrow morning," Soi-Fon answered, "It'll be before dawn, so you'd better not stay up too late tonight."

"Speaking of tonight, you won't be going back to the dorms," said Yoruichi, "The three of you will be spending the night in the Squad Two barracks. This way you can leave with us when we set out, and we'll be able to make sure you're outfitted with the right supplies and gear. We're not going too far north but make no mistake; it'll still be much chillier up there than it is down here."

Itachi nodded. "I've operated in cold climates before. I'll be ready."

"Same here," said Jiraiya, "It's been a little while, but I'll be just fine."

Visaelya, on the other hand, looked a bit hesitant. "Just how cold are we talking here? Will there be snow?"

"Unlikely at this time of year," Kirio replied, "That being said, the weather around the Whitefell Mountains has always been a bit unpredictable."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't worry. We'll have everything we need just in case the weather turns on us. Any other questions?"

"Just one," said Visaelya, and Itachi could've sworn he saw her blush, "Will... will Tenth Seat Uchiha be coming along on this mission?"

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow for a moment, but that gesture was soon replaced by a knowing smirk. "As a matter of fact, he will. Looking forward to seeing Shisui again after he saved your life last year, Miss Drakken?"

Visaelya looked down, her face flushed with embarrassment. "It's not like that!"

Jiraiya chuckled as he gave Itachi a playful elbow. "Man, you Uchiha sure are popular with the ladies!"

"Can you blame us?" asked Kirio as she winked at Itachi, "Having been privileged enough to meet both Itachi and Shisui, I can testify that you boys are both quite a catch!"

"Don't even think about poaching on my territory," said Yoruichi as she gave Itachi a wolfish grin, "I already called dibs on this one, remember?"

Kirio put her hands on her hips. "That's not how it works! He doesn't belong to either of us until graduation!"

Yoruichi smirked. "Then you'd better step up your game, Kirio. I'm going all out with this one, so you'd better do the same if you want to keep up!"

Kirio grinned. "Oh, you'd better believe I will!"

It felt strange to have two Captains competing over whose unit he would join upon graduation. Itachi had to wonder just what would happen as the point of commencement drew closer and closer. He'd heard stories about some Captains going to considerable lengths to get recruits that showed the most promise. Itachi still had a year left at the Academy; just how many division leaders had their eyes on him already?

He pushed that thought to the side for the time being. That was still some ways off; the mission before him now was a far more pressing concern.

 _Into the north to explore an elaborate tomb left behind by a fallen kingdom_ , he thought, _I never imagined I'd be undertaking such an assignment as a Soul Reaper, or even as one in-training._

 _This should be interesting…_

….

It was a bit intimidating seeing the Squad Two barracks up close. It wasn't the first time Visaelya had visited a home of one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; since Squad Ten was considered to be her family's division she'd naturally been given a tour by her uncle before starting her official Soul Reaper training. The Squad Two barracks weren't all that different structure-wise, but the fact that it was considered the turf of a rival Great Noble House did leave her feeling a certain tension.

 _Shake it off_ , she scolded herself, _Captain Shihōin hasn't shown any signs of hostility towards you. In fact, despite the rivalry of our families she's actually been quite friendly. I should return the courtesy at the very least._

As they walked through the front gate she found herself looking around anxiously. She wasn't expecting trouble; rather, she was on the lookout for a face she'd been hoping to see for a year now. It was part of the reason why she was secretly rather excited for this assignment; it was a chance to work with _him_ again.

 _And now you're acting like a smitten schoolgirl_ , she chided herself, _Visaelya, snap out of it!_

 _ **Now, now, ease up a little bit**_ , said a female voice in her head that was most definitely not her own, _**Given that you're still in the Academy, one could easily make the case that you**_ **are** _ **a schoolgirl… and certainly a smitten one at that.**_

 __It was hard for her to suppress a scowl as she looked down at the hilt of her sword. Itachi and Jiraiya had warned her what would happen when she eventually awakened her Zanpakutō, but even with that advanced notice and a few weeks' worth of practice now it was still rather distracting. The violet hilt-wrapping and golden circular guard were nice to show off to her classmates, but Visaelya wasn't entirely sure if it was worth the price of another entity having access to her thoughts now.

 _I am not smitten!_

 _ **Right. Whatever you say.**_

 __Visaelya wasn't sure where the spirit of her Zanpakutō got its particular attitude from. She knew that her awakened weapon was supposed to take on traits that were reflected in her, but now she was starting to question that particular lesson. She certainly didn't picture herself being as flippant as her Zanpakutō could be at times.

 _You need a lesson in manners._

 _ **And**_ **you** _ **need to be more mindful of your surroundings. After all, someone very**_ **special's** _ **just shown up.**_

 __Looking around rapidly, Visaelya's eyes widened as she caught sight of none other than Squad Two's Tenth Seat. That friendly smile she recalled so clearly was on his face again, and her face immediately warmed.

 _My memories… I'm glad the excitement and fear of that day did not mar my recollection…_

 _ **Memories**_ , said her Zanpakutō, and Visaelya could already picture the smirk on the spirit of her weapon's face, _**or dreams? You've had plenty involving him over the past few weeks…**_

 __ _Shut up!_

"Welcome back, Captain," he said before turning to the students, "Good to see you three again."

Itachi nodded. "How've you been, Shisui?"

"Pretty well," he replied, "I'll fill you in later, all right?"

"Sounds good," said Itachi.

"Are you going to be our tour guide?" asked Jiraiya.

"That's right," said Shisui, "Captain, I can take them from here if you want me to."

Yoruichi smiled. "Sounds good. I've still got some pre-mission planning to go over with Kisuke and Soi-Fon, so if you can help get them settled in I'd appreciate it."

"Consider it done," said Shisui.

Yoruichi nodded. "Thanks. Let's go, Soi-Fon."

"As you command, Lady Yoruichi," said her bodyguard.

As Yoruichi and Soi-Fon left, Visaelya became acutely aware of Shisui's gaze shifting to her. She tried her best not to blush and hoped she didn't look as nervous as she felt.

His warm smile helped calm her nerves a little bit. "Visaelya Drakken, right? How've you been? I hope your wounds from that joint operation with Squad Ten haven't been bothering you."

 _He remembers!_

 _ **Shocker.**_

 __ _I thought I told you to shut up!_

She hastily cleared her through and smiled. "I've been very well, thank you. The injuries I took last year have healed nicely, and the remaining scar I wear as a reminder to myself to not become complacent. Had you not been there, I fear that I would not be alive today to take that lesson to heart. I owe you a great debt, Tenth Seat Uchiha."

Shisui laughed. "Please, just call me Shisui! No need to be formal, Miss Drakken."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. In that case… could you please call me Visaelya?"

"Sure thing," he replied, "Anyway, welcome to the Squad Two barracks! Follow me; the least I can do is show you three around before getting you settled in."

Since she'd seen Squad Ten's barracks before, Visaelya had a good idea as to what to expect. There was the training yard, the supply rooms, the kitchen, the meeting and dining halls, offices, and all the other conventional features of a division's home base. However, there were also aspects that Visaelya realized were unique to Squad Two's facilities. The Shihōin Clan crest was visible in a few areas, and in addition to the regular Squad Two facilities Visaelya also saw buildings that were marked for use specifically by the Stealth Force. Individual members of the Stealth Force's subdivisions, including the Executive Militia, Patrol Corps, Detention Unit and more could also be seen going about their business. They carried themselves differently than other Soul Reapers that Visaelya had seen in the past, almost like they were prepared to vanish into the shadows at a moment's notice. While she didn't like to think of herself as the type to be ill-at-ease with such people, she had to admit that the air they gave off was rather eerie.

Shisui seemed to catch her discomfort and gave her another smile. "Don't mind the Stealth Force members. Some of them can take a little getting used to, but they're all right. They just operate differently than the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Visaelya nodded. "Right. It's almost hard to believe that Captain Shihōin's their leader. She seems so much… _brighter_ , if that makes any sense."

"It does," said Shisui, "That's the kind of woman our Captain is; even though she's the head of a group that operates in the shadows, her energy burns like the sun at the height of summer. She's warm with friends and comrades, but don't let that fool you; when the time comes for a mission, she gets right down to business."

"Speaking of a mission," said Itachi, "have you ever been on one like this?"

"You mean surveying an Andunayan barrow?" asked Shisui, "No, this one's a first for me. Not too surprising, though; finding barrows of the old kingdom nowadays is pretty rare."

"What about the area it's located in?" asked Jiraiya, "Any experience going that far north?"

Shisui nodded. "I've been up that way a couple times, though the closest I got to the Whitefell Mountains was just within viewing range. It's a bit chilly out there, but not too bad. There's actually some pretty nice scenery out that way. Definitely a beautiful stretch of The Wild, no doubt there."

Jiraiya smiled. "Too bad this won't be a sightseeing trip. I wouldn't mind the chance to explore a little."

Shisui shrugged. "Well, it'll still be quite a hike to get up that way, so you'll have time to take in the view."

"Are there any particular threats in the area that we should be wary of?" asked Itachi.

"Well, there's always the occasional Hollow," Shisui replied, "I mean, tracking them is how we stumbled upon the barrow in the first place. Some of the local wildlife can be a bit on the mean side, especially the wolves, but they'll usually back down after you give them a taste of your spiritual pressure."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "There are predators out there that sense spiritual pressure?"

Shisui nodded. "Yup. It's a phenomenon we've noticed in a few species that roam The Wild. They use it both to hunt and to identify threats. Since Soul Reapers are trained to control their spiritual pressure it naturally comes across to such predators as different than that of untrained beings. Once they realize what they're dealing with, they'll typically leave you alone."

"A response to a threat display," Itachi murmured, "Only instead of conveyed through visual and audio signals, the medium is spirit energy. Interesting…"

Shisui smiled. "The Wild's home to all sorts of creatures that we never would've run into in the world we lived in. I doubt we've run into more than a fraction of what's really out there. Squad Twelve's always got survey teams running around trying to document new species, but The Wild's so vast that they've barely scratched the surface."

"Interesting," said Jiraiya, "I wonder if we'll find any of these special beasties while we're up north."

"I should most certainly most hope not," said Visaelya, "Wolves are easy enough to deal with, but they're hardly the worst that the north has to offer. I'd be much more concerned about the cold-drakes that call the Whitefell Mountains home."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Cold drakes?"

"Think dragons, only these ones don't breathe fire," said Shisui, "They typically make their home in most mountain ranges up north, not just the Whitefells. They're not as well known as the ones that the Drakken Clan have tamed in the east, mostly because they don't get around as much. They can't fly and they tend to be more reclusive as a result. Still, they're fiercely territorial, and while they're not particularly fast their hides are incredibly tough, and their claws can carve through most forms of armor with ease."

Visaelya shivered just thinking about them. "I do hope that Captains Shihōin and Hikifune have taken such beasts into account. As students, the three of us are hardly qualified to take on a cold-drake."

Shisui shook his head. "You won't have to worry about that. The barrow's in the foothills; cold-drakes don't usually go down that far. They typically tunnel around in the caves that run through the heart of the Whitefells and feast on the creatures that inhabit them. This barrow shouldn't be anywhere close to their territory."

"I hope you're right," said Itachi.

Shisui shrugged. "Well, if I'm wrong, then at least the Captain will be able to get a decent workout in. You might get to see her unleash her Shikai."

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly. "Have you seen it?"

Shisui nodded. "A few times, yes. It's not often that she brings it out, but when she does… well, let's just say it's a real treat."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, don't stop there! Give us the goods!"

Shisui chuckled as he shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm afraid that's all you're going to get out of me on that matter. It's considered bad form to talk about a Captain's Zanpakutō with someone that hasn't even officially joined the Thirteen Court Guard Squads yet."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. Forgive us for our impropriety."

Shisui laughed. "Ah, Itachi, you haven't changed; still as serious as ever!"

Visaelya was surprised to actually see Itachi smirk a little at that. "I'd like to think that I've gained a little flexibility in death… and even in life, I seem to recall that I wasn't entirely without a sense of humor. I believe I even made you spit out your drink from laughter on at least one occasion."

" _Maybe_ once," Shisui allowed, "but that's all."

"If you insist," Itachi replied.

It felt strange to hear her classmate talk about his past life so casually. Part of it of course came from the rules of etiquette that had been engrained into Visaelya since childhood, but there was also the simple fact that, unlike her three companions, she'd never actually _died_ before. Being born into the Soul Society, particularly into one of the Five Great Noble Houses, might've been a blessing, but it also meant that she was lacking a means to relate to the perspective of the vast majority of its denizens who were part of the great cycle of souls traversing between the afterlife and the Realms of the Living.

 _Shisui, Itachi, Jiraiya_ , she thought, _they've all ridden the wheel of life and death and have been born anew… and here I am, struggling to truly understand what that really means for them. Which Realm of the Living did they come from? How did they die… and how did they come to be so at_ ease _with their deaths?_

 _ **You could always ask them.**_

 __ _It wouldn't be proper._

 _ **Perhaps… but that doesn't change the fact that it's what you want.**_

 __Sometimes she hated the link between Soul Reaper and Zanpakutō. The power boost that one gained from establishing and growing their rapport with their weapon's spirit was fundamental to the evolution of the Soul Reaper, but the access the Zanpakutō had to the wielder's thoughts and feelings could be downright unnerving.

 _ **You'll get used to it. Besides, it's not like I have to read your mind to know what you're thinking.**_

 __ _Believe me, I wish that weren't the case…_

"Here we are," said Shisui as the four of them came to a stop in the barracks, "These two rooms will be yours for the night. Itachi, you and Jiraiya are in the one on the left; Visaelya, yours is on the right."

Visaelya nodded. "Thank you, although it isn't necessary to provide me with solo accommodations. I do not require special treatment."

Shisui shook his head. "Maybe, but it's what the Captain's assigned you. Take it for what it is and don't overthink it."

"Understood," she replied.

"Thanks for the tour," said Jiraiya, "I hope we haven't missed dinner; I could use a bite to eat."

Itachi nodded. "Yes, I suppose we could all do with some nourishment. Is the barracks' kitchen still open?"

"Yup," Shisui replied, "Feel free to head on over and grab some dinner. You can find your way back here later, right?"

"I think so, yes," said Itachi.

"Good," said Shisui, "Come find me later; we still have some catching up to do."

As much as Visaelya might've liked to eavesdrop on a conversation like that, she knew it wouldn't be proper. Her curiosity could be put on hold for the moment, though. After all, it would take the several days at the very least to reach their destination. She'd have plenty of time and opportunities to learn more about Squad Two's fascinating Tenth Seat.

"Thank you very much for showing us around, Shisui," she said as she bowed her head, "I look forward to working with you on our mission."

He gave her that friendly smile of his, and once again she felt her heart skip a beat. "Same here. Make sure you rest up tonight; we'll be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Of course," she said, "Until tomorrow, then."

….

Sitting at the edge of the training yard, Itachi looked up at the night sky. The moon wasn't quite full, but it still bathed the Squad Two barracks in evening light.

 _Rather tranquil, all things considered_ , he mused, _Rather surprising when one remembers that people practice for combat here…_

"There you are," said a familiar voice from behind him, "Thought I'd find you here."

Itachi didn't need to turn around to know that it was Shisui. His old friend came up and sat down next to him, passing him a cup with wisps of steam coming up from its contents.

"Brought you a little treat," he said with a smile, "You still like your tea this way, right?"

Itachi took a sip and nodded. "Yes. I'm surprised you remembered after all these years."

Shisui shrugged. "Some things never change."

"Indeed," Itachi replied.

There was a moment of silence before Shisui spoke again. "I've been trying to squeeze in a few trips to the Rukon District in between assignments. As vast as the place is, you can still run an organized search if you plan accordingly."

Itachi's eyes narrowed; he knew where this was going. "You've been looking for our clan. Any progress?"

Shisui shook his head. "Not yet. It's been slow going, and it's not like I can bring in other members of Squad Two without telling them what it's really about. As flexible and understanding as the Captain is, the rules are clear; we can't utilize official resources for personal matters."

"I understand," said Itachi, "Although… there's always the chance that this 'personal matter' of ours could become an official problem down the line."

Shisui nodded. "I know. I'm hoping that doesn't become the case, but we can't rule anything out."

"Once I graduate, I'll do what I can to help," said Itachi, "We can probably include Jiraiya in our efforts as well; he'd understand what we'd be trying to do."

Shisui smiled. "That's good to hear."

"What about others from our particular Realm of the Living?" asked Itachi, "Given the particular skill sets of many Shinobi, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads seem like they would be an ideal environment for other ninja to gravitate towards once they've passed on to the Soul Society."

"I have given that some thought," said Shisui, "and it's a distinct possibility. However, the social taboo within the Seireitei about inquiring into which particular Realm of the Living someone came from before joining the Thirteen Court Guard Squads makes an internal search rather difficult. Who we were in our past lives isn't supposed to matter once we join the ranks of a division."

"A noble ideal, but it may not hold up so well in practice," Itachi pointed out, "After all, you know as well as I do the kind of ambitions members of our clan harbored. Some of them would've been right at home with the Sovereigntists of old."

"Ah, so you've been given the history lesson that the Academy refuses to grant its students," said Shisui, "You're right, of course. Not all of them would've been of that mindset, though. Even then, the clan did have _some_ legitimate grievances."

Itachi nodded. "That's true. The confinement for the purpose of surveillance that was imposed in the later years was particularly egregious. In fact, that measure taken by the village elders and the Hokage may have ultimately been what turned the clan's resentments into the fuel for their conspired coup."

Shisui sighed. "In turn necessitating us turning against them. You know, I'm still amazed that they never figured out that the supposedly brightest stars of the Uchiha Clan had actually become moles for the Hidden Leaf Village. Considering that our clan was in charge of the village's military police, you'd think that they would've taken measures to prevent someone from the inside flipping and taking the side of the village."

Itachi closed his eyes and took a sip of his tea. "They were arrogant. They believed that the clan was a unified body and never contemplated the possibility that individual members might hold opposing viewpoints. We bore the Uchiha name, so that was enough in their eyes. They may have suspected my hand in your death, but that was in reaction to circumstance; even at that late stage, they still had no idea that you and I had turned against them years ago."

"Bet the last person they were expecting to become the instrument of their destruction was you," said Shisui grimly, "Of course, it's not like you _wanted_ to take on that role."

Itachi shook his head. "No. Although…"

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I didn't act alone against the clan," said Itachi, "In the leadup to the purge, I actually discovered someone sneaking around the village. It was Madara Uchiha… or so I believed."

Shisui's eyes widened in shock. "You thought it was _Madara?_ You've got to be kidding!"

"He wore a mask at the time, so I couldn't get a visual confirmation," Itachi admitted, "However, I could see his Sharingan through the eyehole in it. Beyond that, though, I could feel his power. That's why when he gave me that name, I was willing to believe it. I hadn't expected him to still be alive, but I guess someone as strong as him could go on a long time before finally succumbing to old age. Looking back now, I don't think it was actually him, but his power was formidable just the same."

Shisui nodded, although he still looked a bit shaken by the news. "I see. So, how'd you talk the man you believed to be the most powerful Uchiha in the history of the clan into helping you wipe it out?"

"It actually wasn't that hard," Itachi replied, "You know the history as well as I do; you know the resentment Madara held against the clan for being ostracized in the past. My impending operation gave him the means and an accomplice, so it was an alliance of convenience. If this was an imposter simply using Madara's name, he was willing to remain in character to the point of acting on that resentment. When we struck, he attacked our clan's military arm in the police force; I purged the civilian portion of the clan. Since they were concentrated in the compound, it was a relatively straightforward affair."

Shisui grimaced. "That compound was probably designed with that purpose in mind. I wouldn't put it past the likes of Danzō and the elders."

"Agreed," said Itachi.

"So, what happened to 'Madara' or whoever this guy really was when it was all over?" asked Shisui.

Itachi shook his head. "I tried to keep tabs on him during my time in the Akatsuki, but it wasn't easy. He kept a low profile while I was alive, and finding even hints about his true intentions was difficult. Besides, by that point I was fully immersed in my cover as a member of the Akatsuki; trying to dig up information on him without great caution would've drawn unwanted attention from others in the group."

"Good point," said Shisui, "Well, if he's still alive all these years later, then we'll have to trust the ones we left behind to deal with him."

Itachi nodded. "Yes. However, if he's passed on, then he's our concern."

"What makes you say that?" asked Shisui, "The stories all say that Madara's grudges were with the Uchiha Clan for ostracizing him and the Hidden Leaf Village for denying him power. He may find members of the clan here in the Soul Society, but the village belongs to the Shinobi Realm of the Living. Besides, in all likelihood the clan's scattered across the Soul Society; even tracking just one member down would be a colossal undertaking for him. Of course, all this is assuming that his soul didn't end up in Hell instead."

" _I_ wound up here, even after everything I've done," Itachi pointed out, "I'm not ruling anything out at this point."

Shisui sighed. "Look, I'm sure it was brutal, but what you did wasn't for power or revenge; it was for peace. You're not like Madara or whoever his imposter was, Itachi."

"That distinction doesn't mean much to those that I murdered," said Itachi grimly, "Whether they died by my hand or Madara's, the members of our clan met the same fate either way."

Shisui shook his head as he stood up. "I could stay up all night arguing about this with you, but we've got a mission tomorrow. There's no point in wearing ourselves out over the past when the future's right in front of us. Don't forget that you're in training to become a Soul Reaper; once you graduate, your past has no bearing on who you are here."

"A nice sentiment," said Itachi as he joined him, "but I think we both know that it's not so simple."

"Then you'll just have to make peace with it, one way or another," said Shisui, "I hope you're able to do so; it'd be a shame if you got yourself killed here because you're too wrapped up in what happened in your old life."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," Itachi replied dryly.

….

 **The next day…**

Sitting with his legs crossed and his right hand held out in front him, Jiraiya focused intently on the palm of his right hand. After a few seconds it began to glow with blue and white spirit energy, which began emanating upwards in wisps. His eyes narrowed as he then brought his left hand over and held it in the air about half a foot over his right. Bringing all his focus to bear, he was rewarded with the sight of the gathered spirit energy beginning to rotate.

"That's it," he said softly, "Come on…"

The tempo of the rotation began to increase, as did the concentration of spirit energy. It soon began to coalesce into a recognizable form; a whirling ball of power.

 _Now for the hard part…_

He put all his focus into stabilizing the sphere. Jolts of energy arced from its surface, but after a few seconds they began to subside. His confidence growing, Jiraiya cautiously began to remove his left hand from the top of the sphere…

…only for the whole damn thing to explode right in his face.

"Ah!" he cried out as he was blown backwards.

He fell flat on his back a few feet away from where he'd been sitting. Picking himself up, he went over to a nearby stream to survey the damage. Thankfully, it didn't look that bad; his face had a few minor scorch marks and bits of his hair had been blackened, but it was nothing permanent. He couldn't help but smirk as he studied his reflection.

"Man, if Naruto could see me now…" he muttered.

"Another misfire," said a familiar male voice from behind him.

Jiraiya turned around and laughed when he saw Itachi. "Yup! It's a good thing my star pupil's not here; he'd never let me hear the end of this!"

Itachi nodded. "The Fourth Hokage's jutsu… you've been working on this for some time now."

Jiraiya sighed. "It's a lot harder pulling off the Rasengan with spirit energy than with chakra. You'd think after five years I'd be able to manage it, but the containment bit's still throwing me for a loop."

"Perhaps," said Itachi, "Still, that misfire was much more powerful than the last time I saw you practice. If nothing else, you seem to be putting more than sufficient energy into the technique."

"Power's the easy part," said Jiraiya, "It's keeping all the energy coherent and stable long enough to make a useful attack out of it that's the issue. Spirit energy appears to be more volatile than chakra when manipulated like this."

"It also appears to be more powerful, though," Itachi pointed out, "Once you remaster the containment portion of the jutsu, you'll have a strong technique at your disposal."

Jiraiya smiled. "That's what I'm hoping for. It'll be a handy little surprise in a fight, especially if something happens to my Zanpakutō. I'm getting close; it won't be too much longer before I have it nailed down."

Itachi nodded. "I see. You should get yourself cleaned up; we'll be moving on shortly."

"Don't worry," said Jiraiya, "I won't fall behind."

As Itachi headed back towards the main group, Jiraiya took a minute to wash his face in the stream. The midday sun's reflection gleamed on the water's surface, and a pleasant breeze blew through the air.

 _It's nice to be out in The Wild again_ , he thought, _Sure, the Seireitei's pretty and all, but it can feel a little confining at times, especially when you're stuck in the Academy._

They'd left the Squad Two barracks well before dawn and had been travelling for quite some time already. Even though this was by no means the full might of Yoruichi's division, it was still a formidable travelling group of about three dozen officers and unseated Soul Reapers. The same number of Soul Reapers from Squad Twelve had met them at the Northern Black Ridge Gate, and from there they had set off. They'd cleared the Rukon District through a series of Flash Steps, and while Jiraiya's proficiency in the technique had improved considerably over the years he wouldn't deny that it had been a serious bit of exercise. Their pace had slowed once they were out in The Wild proper, and they had followed the Great Northern Trade Road ever since. This was their first break since setting out, and Jiraiya had a feeling that Yoruichi and Kirio were doing it more for the sake of him and his fellow students than their own Soul Reapers.

 _I don't think we're_ that _slow. Well, at least not Itachi and I. Actually, Visaelya's come along quite well too._

 _ **I didn't think you were the type to look a gift break in the mouth like this.**_

 __Jiraiya smirked as he imagined the quizzical look on the face of the spirit of his Zanpakutō. He still hadn't learned his name, but he had definitely learned more about his weapon, and these mental conversations had actually become quite intriguing to engage in over the years.

 _I just don't want to be patronized. I mean, compared to when I was alive, I feel like a young man again!_

 _ **Finding new youth in death… that somehow is not surprising for the likes of you. Still, you are surely wise enough to recognize that you have limitations.**_

 __ _Of course. I just wish that they'd give students like us a little more credit._

Dusting himself off, he went over to rejoin the rest of the group. Itachi and Visaelya had already picked up their travel packs and donned the cloaks they'd been given before setting out. It only took Jiraiya a moment to do the same. They weren't nearly far enough north to need the cloaks yet, but the fabric felt nice and Jiraiya could appreciate the work that must've gone into them.

Visaelya raised an eyebrow as he approached. "What was that loud noise we heard earlier? Was that you messing around with that weird Kidō spell of yours again?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Caught me red handed!"

Visaelya shook her head. "I swear, you are incredibly stubborn. How many times does it have to blow up in your face before you take the hint and give up? Whatever you're trying to do, it clearly cannot become a viable combat spell!"

Jiraiya smirked. "Oh, is _that_ what you think, Little Miss Vissy? In that case, I can't wait to prove you wrong!"

Visaelya scowled at him. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that? It's annoying and condescending!"

Jiraiya grinned. "Are you sure you're not describing yourself there?"

Visaelya huffed as she folded her arms. "Insolent oaf! You have all the wit of an upstart child!"

Jiraiya laughed; it was all too easy to get under his classmate's skin, and he really just couldn't help himself. "Come on, Visaelya! You _really_ need to learn to lighten up and enjoy some banter. I hope your whole clan's not as stiff as you are."

Visaelya scowled. "The demeanor of the Drakken Clan is none of your concern!"

There was fresh laughter as Shisui approached them. "Nice to see the march hasn't drained too much of your energy!"

"Tenth Seat Uchiha!" said Visaelya as she snapped to attention.

Shisui smiled at her. "Visaelya, what did I tell you yesterday? Just call me Shisui, all right?"

Her posture relaxed somewhat, and Jiraiya couldn't help but notice a slight hint of red in her face. "Oh, right… of course."

 _She's got a sweet spot for him_ , he thought with a smirk, _I guess that's not too surprising since he saved her life._

"Are the Captains ready to move on?" asked Itachi.

"Just about," said Shisui, "Captain Shihōin's having Soi-Fon conduct a little reconnaissance. She should be back any time now."

"There shouldn't be any threats out here, right?" asked Visaelya, "I know we're in The Wild now, but we're still not too far from the Rukon District."

Shisui shook his head. "No, but it pays to be careful. You never know when you'll find a Hollow or two around here, after all."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "This close to the Rukon District? I didn't think they were that bold."

"You'd be surprised," said Itachi, "After all, the night we met Captains Shihōin and Unohana was in the middle of a Hollow attack all the way in West Rukon 37."

"But that was five years ago," Visaelya replied, "The Thirteen Court Guard Squads would surely have tightened up their patrols to make sure no Hollows made it in that far since then."

Shisui sighed. "We've made efforts on that front, but unfortunately it's not that simple. The Rukon District's simply too big to properly police at our current level of strength. We need more manpower."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, given the sizes of the classes currently in the Academy, I think your shortage of Soul Reapers will be lessened soon enough."

Shisui nodded. "I hope you're right."

"You four ready to hit the road?" called a familiar female voice.

Jiraiya and the others turned to see Yoruichi approaching with Soi-Fon at her side. He'd expected to see Kirio with her at well, but the Squad Twelve Captain was nowhere in sight.

"Captain Shihōin!" cried Visaelya as she stiffened to attention again.

Yoruichi smiled. "At ease, Miss Drakken. I hope you all got a chance to rest up."

Itachi nodded. "We're ready to move out on your order."

Jiraiya looked around. "Where's Captain Hikifune?"

Yoruichi giggled. "Indulging."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kirio's got a bit of a sweet tooth," said Yoruichi, "However, she doesn't like to have an audience when her cravings hit. She'll probably pop out of the woodwork any second now…"

"You were saying, Yoruichi?" said Kirio as she came out from behind a tree with her arms folded, "You know it's not polite to gossip about your fellow Captains."

Yoruichi smirked as she pointed at Kirio. "You missed a spot."

Kirio's eyes widened as she put a finger to her cheek and found a hint of chocolate. "Oh… well… thank you."

"Anytime," said Yoruichi with a grin, "Ready to hit the road, Sugar Queen?"

Kirio glared at her. "How many times have I told you never to call me that? And in front of the students, too? Sometimes you truly are the worst, Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi laughed. "Hey, I need to have fun where I can find it! Besides, you make it too easy, Kirio."

Squad Twelve's Captain gave her a fiendish smirk. "In that case, you'd better watch your back, Yoruichi. I'll find some way to get back at you."

"I'm shaking in my sandals," Yoruichi replied, "Ready get a move on? We've still got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall."

Kirio nodded. "Yes. I'll make sure my subordinates are prepared. Are the three of you ready?"

Jiraiya knew that she was referring to him and his fellow students. "I suppose, but a little sugar for the road couldn't hurt. Care to share, Captain Sugar Queen?"

Yoruichi laughed again, and even Kirio looked mildly amused. "Your reputation for boldness in the face of powerful women is not without merit, I see. Best be careful, Jiraiya; I may not be Captain Unohana, but you may still find that you're biting off more than you can chew with me."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, I'm always up for a challenge!"

Kirio smiled. "Indeed? I'll keep that in mind. That being said, I'm afraid I won't be sharing my stash with you, charming boldness notwithstanding; I need this to last me the rest of the mission, after all."

"She's not kidding," said Yoruichi, "I've seen her on a sugar dry-spell, and it's not pretty. She's not so fun when she's craving a fix."

"Good to know," said Jiraiya.

Yoruichi looked at the students for a moment before turning to Shisui. "You'll be taking point for the next stretch. Don't worry about these three; I'll keep an eye on them."

Shisui nodded. "Understood, Captain."

"Be careful up ahead," said Soi-Fon, "I didn't find anything on my scouting run, but The Wild is treacherous."

"I've handled The Wild before, Soi-Fon," Shisui replied with a smirk, "I think I'll be fine."

"Stay safe!" cried Visaelya, yet another hint of a blush on her cheeks.

Shisui gave her a smile. "Don't worry, I will be."

"All right, then," said Yoruichi, "Time to move out!"

….

 **Several days later…**

Save for those assigned to the night watch, most of the combined expeditionary group had turned in for the evening. Itachi wasn't among them. He had quietly slipped off towards the perimeter of the encampment and was sitting on a rock overlooking a river. None of the students had been given watch duties since they still weren't official members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and while Itachi knew he should be resting he also knew that it would be some time before he'd been able to do so. The night was peaceful and downright beautiful, with no clouds whatsoever to obscure the brilliant moon and sea of stars above.

Itachi could only wish that the tranquility of this display was matched by his heart, but alas that was not the case. Peace eluded him, as it had for years now.

As it had since the night he'd murdered his family.

A night that had been replayed in his dreams _every_ night since then.

It was frankly a miracle that he could get any sleep at all. In life, Itachi had known that there were forms of medication capable of inducing dreamless sleep, but he had not partaken in them. He would not do so in his afterlife, either. The images of the blood-spattered floors and walls of the Uchiha compound that made up his nightmares were part of the sentence that had been imposed upon him for his actions, and he would take no measure to alleviate them. In his mind, he deserved to live with the horror of what he had done for the rest of his existence.

"I seem to recall giving you orders to hit the hay," said a familiar female voice from behind him, "I didn't think you were the type to disobey orders, Itachi."

He looked over his shoulder and saw Yoruichi approaching. He hadn't detected so much as a hint of her spiritual pressure before, and he wasn't sure if that was because he was distracted or because she was just that skilled at concealing her presence.

"My apologies," he said, "I meant no disrespect."

She smiled as she came up to him and leaned against the boulder he was sitting on. "It's all right; I'm not the type to take that personally. Besides, it's not like this is the first time."

Itachi raised his eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"

She wagged her finger at him like a teacher chastising a pupil. "Don't think I haven't noticed; you've snuck off to the perimeter of our encampments every night since our journey's started. I've let it slide up until now because I thought you were simply meditating or observing the surroundings; The Wild's got plenty of lovely scenery even in the middle of the night, after all. You've never wandered far, either, so I knew you weren't in any danger. Still, there's an undeniable pattern here… one that's carrying over from the Academy."

Itachi was taken aback by that; he thought he'd been much more careful about slipping out of the Academy dormitories in the past. "How did you know?"

"Elements of the Stealth Force are assigned to help out with security at the Academy," said Yoruichi, "They don't reveal themselves unless absolutely necessary. Think of them as an ace in the hole just in case a student or two gets funny ideas and the regular staff can't handle them."

Itachi nodded. "Makes sense. Given that the Academy courses are all about learning to harness our latent abilities, it would be prudent to take necessary measures in the event that students become drunk on their own power and seek to cause harm to others."

Yoruichi smiled. "Nice to see you're so understanding about matters like these."

Itachi closes his eyes for a moment. "Matters of security and surveillance are not foreign to me. Quite the opposite, in fact."

When he opened them again and met her gaze he was struck by the uncharacteristically hesitant look in her eyes. He was so used to seeing that confident and mischievous light in them that he wasn't entirely sure what to make of what almost looked like nervousness.

"Listen," she said cautiously, "I'm sure it's been brought up to you before, but it's considered poor etiquette among the aristocracy for us to ask souls like you about your past life. Who you were before coming to the Soul Society and who you are while you're here are supposed to be considered two different entities. However, from what I've seen from you… if I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that making a clean break between the two would be a case of easier said than done for you."

He took a moment to weigh his response. She was right on the mark, but while he respected her skills and knew that he owed her his life he was reluctant to go into too much detail on the shadows that haunted his past.

"That's… one way to put it," he said softly.

She smiled again, and he found the sympathy in her eyes to be quite soothing. "I thought so. It's not my place to pry, and I'll respect your privacy if you wish, but if there's anything you want to get off your chest, I've got time."

He was surprised at just how tempting that offer was. His desire to keep his darkest acts buried ultimately won out over the sudden urge to confess, but it was a much closer contest than he otherwise might've expected.

"I appreciate the offer," he said, "I don't mean any disrespect, but for now… I'd prefer to deal with this on my own."

Yoruichi nodded. "I understand. It doesn't appear to have affected your studies or your bearing on our mission so far, so I'll let it go for now. However, if this keeps up and I start to notice your performance slipping, I won't drop the matter so easily."

"Understood," Itachi replied.

She yawned and stretched her arms, the motion looking almost catlike. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. Don't stay up all night, you got that? I want you to at least get some rest before we hit the road tomorrow."

"I will," said Itachi, "Thank you… Yoruichi."

She smiled. "Anytime, Itachi."

….

 **A few days later…**

Huddling inside her cloak, Visaelya brushed a handful of snowflakes from her hair. She knew that the northern lands experienced the occasional spring snowfall but getting used to it was another thing entirely.

 _I've spent too much time in the Seireitei_ , she thought, _I didn't realize how much I needed a field expedition like this until now. If I'm going to become a proper Soul Reaper, I can't let something like a little late-spring snow bother me._

Cold aside, Visaelya couldn't help but admit that the northern parts of The Wild had a certain rugged beauty about them. The snowcapped Whitefell Mountains loomed prominently up ahead, far larger now than they had been earlier in their journey. Tall fir trees dominated the lands surrounding the road, their branches sagging slightly under the weight of fresh powder. The gentle murmur of a running stream was coming from somewhere to the east of the road just out of sight. The air was crisp and clean to the point that it actually felt quite rejuvenating despite the temperature drop.

She had to smile as she took it all in. The Drakken Clan might boast of the exquisite eastern coastlines that formed the backdrop of their Principality, but the northern lands had a special charm of their own. It was a lovely change of scenery, more than worth the long journey.

"It's really something else, isn't it?" asked a familiar male voice from behind her.

Visaelya nearly jumped out of her cloak, and her face burned fiercely as Shisui came up beside her. "T-tenth Seat Uchiha!"

Shisui smiled and laughed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. By the way, don't you remember what I said before about dropping the formalities?"

Visaelya's blush increased in intensity. "Oh, right… sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he said, "Still, don't get lost in the beauty out here. This is still The Wild, after all; take it lightly and it will be the last thing you do."

Visaelya nodded. "Understood… Shisui."

"How are you holding up?" he asked, "You've been keeping pace pretty well throughout the trip, but I imagine it can't be easy for a student, even one as talented as yourself."

Visaelya smiled, pleased by his praise. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm all right. I've been practicing my Shunpo quite a bit to improve my endurance, and it's not like we've been using the technique this whole trip. I can go as far as the Captains need us to."

"Glad to hear it," Shisui replied, "How does it feel being out this way? We're not in the Starmont Clan's Principality, but their borders are in the lands beyond the Whitefell Mountains."

"I've never been this close to the Starmont Clan's ancestral homelands," Visaelya admitted, "My parents always insisted that the Drakken Clan's Principality was the only one that I should ever visit in my lifetime."

"Seems a little closeminded to me," said Shisui, "You should take the chances you get to travel and see as much of the world as possible. Between the Soul Society and the Realms of the Living, the universe has a lot to offer."

"Perhaps," said Visaelya, "but we do not become Soul Reapers so we can travel."

Shisui smiled. "I know, but there's no harm in taking advantage of a far-flung mission like this one when the opportunity arises. Distant lands have much to offer, even if it may not be apparent at first glance."

Visaelya bowed her head. "That's very true. You are quite wise… Shisui."

Shisui chuckled. "Who, me? I'm not sure if I'd go _that_ far. Maybe Itachi, but me… well, I just do the best I can."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Really? You seem far more knowledgeable than him."

"That's only because I've been in the Soul Society longer than him," Shisui pointed out, "I've got a much better lay of the land and culture here than he does, although he's a quick study. As far as life experience goes, we've both seen quite a bit, whether it's in the Soul Society or the Shinobi World."

Visaelya's eyes widened. "The Shinobi World? _That's_ the realm of the living you and Itachi are from?"

"Don't forget Jiraiya," Shisui added, "Of the three of us, he was actually the most well-known there, and for good reason. He was a powerful sage and warrior, and from what he and Itachi have told me it seems he grew even stronger after my death. It would've been nice to have the chance to meet him while I was alive, but I guess the afterlife works too."

Visaelya blushed again, her upbringing as a member of the nobility causing her to instinctively recoil from the subject of Shisui's past life even as her curiosity was only further inflamed. The rules of etiquette that had been ingrained in to her were telling her to change the subject, but her desire to learn more about the man that had saved her life was begging for her to not let this opportunity go to waste.

"Hey, are you all right?" he asked, "Cat got your tongue? You're looking a little red there, Visaelya."

His mentioning that certainly didn't help matters, but Visaelya did her best to reassert control over her expression. "Oh… I'm fine. Sorry, I was just… processing that, I suppose. I mean, I've heard of the Shinobi World, but from what I understand actual Soul Reaper missions to that particular Realm of the Living are uncommon."

Shisui nodded. "That's right. It's because it has a lower overall population than many other worlds, particularly the one known as Terra. There's a long-term observation post for that area held by an assigned Soul Reaper, but reinforcements typically aren't sent unless they fail to send the regular Hell Butterfly update."

"I see," said Visaelya, "That's standard procedure for many Realms of the Living, right?"

"It is," Shisui answered, "However, to be honest, I think the Shinobi World could use a little more attention from the Soul Society than what it currently gets."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Really? What makes you say that?"

"I suppose part of it might simply be personal bias," he admitted, "but not all of it. Itachi, Jiraiya and I… we know full well just how violent that world can get. The amount of lives lost due to senseless warfare and petty rivalries is beyond count, which means you have a lot of souls filled with anger and regret that were unable to properly pass on to the Soul Society. I'd like to think that whichever Soul Reaper's been assigned to that particular world is able to recognize when they need help in dealing with mass casualty events, but I don't know if that's actually the case. The few missions I've seen that deal with that Realm of the Living would seem to indicate that it's not given a very high level of priority."

"Have you brought these concerns to Captain Shihōin?" asked Visaelya.

Shisui nodded. "I have. She does agree with my assessment but acting on it's another case entirely. Even with both Squad Two and the Stealth Force under her command, the manpower at her disposal is just too limited. We're slammed with missions from the Head Captain and Central Forty-Six as it is, and the Shinobi World's just not a Realm of the Living that they can be convinced deserves closer scrutiny."

"That must be frustrating," said Visaelya, "More than any division, Squad Two and the Stealth Force are the ones most responsible for identifying areas of concern so that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads can properly allocate resources. To have your expertise ignored because a particular Realm of the Living is not considered of high importance by those in the top ranks is an insult to your hard work and dedication."

Shisui smiled. "I'm glad to see you're on our side in this matter. It is what it is, though; we made our case and the powers that be decided it wasn't good enough. All we can do is keep going on the missions they assign us while gathering evidence in the hopes of someday being able to change their minds."

"Do you think you'll be able to do so eventually?" she asked.

"I hope so," said Shisui, "Otherwise things could get ugly. There are plenty of powerful fighters in the Shinobi World, and more than enough of them meet bad ends that the risk of them becoming Hollows is considerable. Given some of the beasts that I've tangled with since becoming an active Soul Reaper, the thought of those monsters acquiring certain traits of former Shinobi is… well, it's not pleasant."

Visaelya had no experience with the Shinobi World apart from what she'd heard in passing, but the grim look in Shisui's eyes was all she needed to appreciate just how seriously he took the matter. If a veteran officer was concerned about something like this, then the disinclination of the Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six regarding concrete action was all the more perplexing.

 _The field reports of officers are supposed to carry considerable weight_ , she thought, _or at least, that's what we've been taught in class. Shisui's taken his concerns to his Captain and she's passed them up the chain of command in the standard procedure, yet the potential threat that they've recognized here is being ignored by their superiors. This isn't how the Soul Society is supposed to function…_

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Shisui, "I didn't say something that upset you, did I?"

Visaelya shook her head. "No, not at all! I'm just trying to put everything you've told me into the context of our Academy lessons. It would seem that I still have much to learn."

Shisui smiled. "Well, I think you'll do just fine. You've got a good head on your shoulders; don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."

Naturally, his praise caused her to blush again. "Oh… thank you."

"Don't mention it," he said, "It'll serve you well once we reach our destination."

Visaelya nodded. "I hope so. Speaking of which, how much further do we have to go?"

"Just a few more miles now, give or take," he replied, "We'll be there with plenty of daylight to spare. I hope you're ready to hit the ground running, because if I know the Captain she's going to want us to survey the place as soon as we arrive."

Visaelya smiled. "Understood. I won't let her down."

….

The Whitefell Mountains loomed imposingly overhead as Yoruichi and Kirio led the expedition into the ravine that held their final destination. Even though they were only in the foothills at the base of the mountain range their altitude had increased considerably. The air was cooler and a little thinner, but the two Captains had no problem with it. The snowfall had become slightly thicker as well, but Yoruichi wasn't overly concerned; a little cold-climate survival practice never hurt anyone, and her division had prepared quite well before setting out on their mission.

"A rather dreary place, isn't it?" asked Kirio as she studied the dull gray cliffs on either side of them.

Yoruichi smiled. "Oh, I don't know about that. It'd be pretty fun to conduct some search and destroy exercises in these foothills."

Kirio rolled her eyes. "You _would_ say that."

Yoruichi giggled. "Come on, Kirio, you don't have to hide it; I know how excited you are to be out here. After all, we're about to unlock a treasure trove of rare artifacts. I'm surprised you're not drooling already."

Kirio smiled. "Fair enough. I imagine Hiyori would be chomping at the bit to break into the barrow already."

"Speaking of your Lieutenant, why didn't you bring her along?" asked Yoruichi, "I know she can be a bit temperamental, but she's still talented. She's more useful than _my_ Lieutenant, that's for sure."

"I certainly won't argue with that," said Kirio, "However, I did need someone to mind the barracks while I was gone. That's the same role you have your Lieutenant in right now, correct?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yes, and despite my personal distaste for Ōmaeda I'll admit that he is capable enough as far as administration is concerned. That doesn't really sound like Hiyori's cup of tea, though. Was there another reason you left her behind?"

Kirio sighed. "Truth be told, I was worried about her and the students. She's not a patient woman, and while our three trainees are quite talented I fear that wouldn't be enough for her. Hiyori has her gifts, but mentoring is not one of them."

"I see," said Yoruichi, "Well, she's your Lieutenant, not mine. I just hope the officers you did bring along are up for the job."

Kirio nodded. "They may not be quite as talented as your Third Seat, but I can assure you that they're more than capable."

A moment later Soi-Fon came out of a Flash Step in front of the two of them. "Lady Yoruichi, Captain Hikifune; we found it!"

Yoruichi grinned. "Excellent! Is Kisuke there?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "He's examining the entrance as we speak. He said he would need a little bit of time to fully analyze the barrier before we could take it down."

"That's fine," said Yoruichi, "We can set up camp while he checks it out. Is there a good spot up ahead for that?"

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon, "I'll show you. Please, follow me."

A few Flash Steps later the three of them reached the end of the ravine. The overhanging cliffs appeared sturdy enough and offered decent shelter from the weather, and there was plenty of space available. A cave entrance was visible at the far end, and Yoruichi assumed that the barrow entrance was somewhere inside.

"Here," said Soi-Fon as she gestured to the area, "It's reasonably defensible and offers some protection from the elements. Heavy snowfall could be a problem, though."

Kirio shook her head. "We should be all right. The snow's pretty light this time of year. Besides, if it comes down to it, there are plenty of Kidō spells capable of clearing out packed snow in a hurry."

Yoruichi nodded. "True, although using some kinds of Hadō on snow might be a bit overkill."

Kirio smiled. "Well, if nothing else, it would be fun to watch the powder fly."

Yoruichi had to smirk at that. "Good point. Well, let's get everyone to work setting up camp. The sooner we get settled in, the sooner we can meet up with Kisuke and start tackling that barrier."

"It might take some time, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon, "From what I could sense, it appeared to be a very powerful defensive spell sealing the entrance. I think even the Kidō Corps might have trouble with it."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't underestimate Kisuke. He'll figure out how to crack it. Count on it."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi."

The three of them set about overseeing their subordinates as they established their campsite. She was pleased to see the three students joining in without much in the way of disorientation; they were adapting very well to life in the field.

 _They're definitely going to be the hot items by the time next year's graduation comes around_ , she thought, _I'm going to have to give it my all to at least get Itachi into Squad Two's ranks. I wouldn't mind bagging Jiraiya and Visaelya as well, but I guess I shouldn't get greedy._

Pretending to observe the members of both divisions as they set up shop, Yoruichi casually drifted towards Itachi. He seemed to be working naturally with the members of her unit, which she definitely took as a good sign. If he was worn out from all the days they'd spent on the road to make it here he certainly didn't show it. At the same time, she could also sense that he was maintaining his situational awareness; even in an area that had already been cleared by Soul Reapers, he wasn't letting his guard down.

He truly was a natural. It almost felt like a waste to have him wait another year before he could finally leave the Academy. At this point further instruction seemed redundant; he already had what it took to be a Soul Reaper. The only instruction that could offer any practical means of improving his abilities at this point were more field missions and the specialized training that a division's barracks and senior officers could provide.

Training that she wouldn't mind _personally_ providing once she'd recruited him.

 _It's official; there's definitely something about him_ , she thought as she headed his way, _I can't remember getting this excited over any other potential recruit in the past. The closest that comes to mind is Soi-Fon, but that was more about helping her develop her talents as my bodyguard and friend. With Itachi, it feels… different… somehow._

It was hard for her put into words. The incredible talent that he'd displayed since she'd first met him definitely played a part, but there was more to it than that. Her conversation with him from a few nights ago hadn't been far from her mind as they'd continued their march, and as she replayed it yet again in her head she couldn't help but recognize something she'd missed the first time around; the sorrow in his eyes when his past life had come up as a topic. He'd displayed an incredible amount of control at the time, but even then Yoruichi had caught hints of what must've been a deep pain that he was keeping buried inside him.

She couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible for that. The codes of etiquette that made inquiring into the past of a soul from the Realms of the Living a taboo subject might've been a product of an archaic aristocracy, but at the same time Yoruichi knew that they existed for a good reason. Whatever experiences in his past life that had led to Itachi becoming so knowledgeable in the arts of combat, stealth and surveillance had clearly taken their toll on him, and she ran the risk of reopening old wounds each time she attempted to prod and learn more. By rights she knew that it wasn't her place to pry into something so personal, but she wanted to dig deeper just the same.

It wouldn't be hard to justify it on a professional level. After all, given how keen she was to get him into her division, it was natural that she would want to know more about him so that she could determine how best to integrate him into Squad Two's operations. It was important to have a solid understanding of not only his talents but also who he was as a person in order to make sure that he could continue to grow under her command and come into his own as a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Any personal demons that he was wrestling with could have a negative impact on his ability to carry out his duties, and as a Captain it was her duty to recognize that and confront it appropriately.

However, this went beyond the level of professional duty. Itachi was still a student, and even if he was a recruit that Yoruichi had her eyes she knew that her interest in him was beyond the level of talent scouting or even mentoring. She genuinely wanted to know more about him as a person, and she had for some time.

At least since the soul fracture incident…

…and quite likely even before that.

But why?

She didn't have a concrete answer. There were a few notions running through her mind, some of them intriguing, but she couldn't put her finger on anything definitive as of yet. There was plenty of time to work that out, though, and since she was out in the field she knew that she had more pressing matters to deal with at the moment.

Itachi turned to acknowledge her approach a few seconds later. "Is there something I can do for you, Captain?"

She smiled. "Hey, now, what did I tell you about me and formality? You can relax, Itachi."

"Is it really all right to be informal at a time like this?" he asked, "We are in the field, and this is a mission."

Yoruichi nodded. "I'll decide when the time's right for you to be formal with me, all right? Right now, I want you to ease up. Consider that an order."

"Very well, then… Yoruichi," he said.

She smirked. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

"I suppose not," he replied, "What can I do for you?"

"You can tell me how you're holding up," she said, "We had quite the hike to get here... and you got less sleep than the others."

He nodded, understanding clear in his eyes. "I'm still fit for duty. I'm not about to let my evening reflections get in the way of the mission."

She couldn't detect any signs of weariness, so for now she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. "All right, then. Anyway, you can leave the rest of the camp setup to the others. Come with me."

He looked puzzled. "What for?"

Yoruichi grinned. "We came all the way out here for the barrow, right? Seeing as how you're the top student in your class, I figure it's only right that you get the first peek at the entrance. Consider it a reward for all your hard work."

"What about Jiraiya and Visaelya?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shrugged. "They'll get their chance soon enough. Come on; you should get a good look before a crowd starts to gather back there."

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then… and thanks."

"Anytime," she replied, "Let's move!"

They didn't utilize Shunpo, but Yoruichi nonetheless set a relatively brisk pace as she led him to the entrance of the cave at the back of the ravine. She the held out her right hand with the palm facing upwards.

"Bakudō 3: Hakkō Gaido!" she called out.

Once the small blue-white orb situated itself over her head, providing sufficient illumination, Yoruichi led the way into the cave. It only took a few minutes to reach their objective, but even though she'd known what to expect she still couldn't help but whistle when she caught sight of it.

"They really built 'em big back then, didn't they?" she said.

"Impressive," said Itachi.

The far end of the cavern had opened up considerably and built into the stone at the back was a set of large doors. They were at least the size of a two-story house, quite possible taller, and she could only imagine how thick they were. Torches carved into the cavern wall on either side illuminated the doors with eerie blue-green flames, allowing Yoruichi and Itachi to study the intricate designs carved into them. The upper half was dominated by a nine-pointed star, while the images of four armored warriors were engraved beneath it. She caught sight of Kisuke standing off to the side and led Itachi towards him. Her Third Seat looked up and smiled as they approached.

"Quite the sight, isn't it?" he asked.

Yoruichi smiled. "You could say that."

"Did you light the torches or were they like this before you arrived?" asked Itachi.

"The latter," Kisuke answered, "In fact, I'm willing to bet that these things have remained lit since the barrow was first sealed."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Kisuke nodded. "Yup. There are traces of powerful spirit energy in the flames; whoever cast them wanted to make sure that they lasted through the ages. I'd certainly say they succeeded."

Itachi gestured at the door. "Who are the figures there?"

Kisuke shook his head. "No idea. Kirio might know something about that; she's studied more of the history of the old kingdom than I have. I've just been trying to recreate their Kidō spells."

"Speaking of which, what about the one on the doors?" asked Yoruichi, "What kind of barrier are we looking at?"

Kisuke smiled. "A very impressive one, if I do say so myself. Go ahead and see for yourself; fire a spell at the doors."

Yoruichi smirked. "Are you sure? I might just blast the whole thing apart."

Kisuke chuckled. "Trust me; it's made of sturdier stuff than you might think."

Yoruichi grinned; she was always up for a challenge. "All right, then. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

She held out her right hand with the palm facing the doors. "Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"

A blast of blue flames discharge from her palm and slammed into the doors. There was a near-blinding flash as the energy from the attack spell and the barrier collided, but as Yoruichi narrowed her eyes she was able to see the power from her strike disperse along the shield. The blue energy was channeled into nine specific points; three along the middle where the doors met, three on the far-right side of the doorway, and three on the left. Those nine points glowed as they gathered the blue energy from her spell before dimming again.

"Interesting," she said as the light faded, "It looks like a multi-node absorption barrier. That's some seriously high-level spell casting right there!"

Kisuke nodded. "Yup. A simple offensive spell like the one you used merely has its energy divided amongst the nodes once it hits the barrier. The power from the spell is then used to fuel the barrier; every time you attack, you actually make it stronger."

"Fascinating," Itachi murmured, "Our Kidō instructor has never made any mention of such a defensive technique before."

"It's not something your typical Soul Reaper can pull off," said Yoruichi, "It requires an extremely intricate knowledge of Kidō in order to properly cast, not to mention an insane amount of power. You usually need multiple casters working in concert, and it can't be set up on the fly so you can't really use it in battle. I think Tessai can pull it off, but not without a lot of prep time."

"He can do it, but it takes some serious work for him to set it up," Kisuke confirmed, "I don't think I've ever seen him do it outside of the tests we've run together. Multi-node absorption barriers are really only good for something you're looking to protect long term."

"Like fortifications," said Itachi, "or a tomb."

"Correct on the second, not so much on the first," said Kisuke, "Multi-node absorption barriers are only really effective over a limited area. You can try to add more nodes as you stretch the barrier further, but eventually it collapses under the weight of its own complexity and power. Besides, the knowledge required to set these things up is pretty obscure; apart from Tessai and a few others, the technique is just not practiced in the modern era. It was much more prominent in the old kingdom, though."

Itachi nodded. "I see. So, how do you take it down?"

"Well, the easiest way is to find the original caster or casters and have them dispel it," Kisuke replied, "Unfortunately for us, given the age of this tomb said casters are long dead. That leaves us two options; brute force or subtlety."

"Kirio and I could pull off the first," said Yoruichi, "I bet if we blast the walls on either side of the doorway we could punch our way into the barrow. However, we could cause a cave-in and get us all killed, not to mention damage or destroy the artifacts that we're after."

"Subtlety sounds preferable," said Itachi dryly, "Any ideas?"

"A few," said Kisuke, "I need more time to probe the barrier, though."

"How much time?" asked Yoruichi.

Kisuke studied the doors for a moment before turning to her again. "Mind if I make this an all-nighter? I just want to be sure that I'm not missing anything. I should have a solution for you by morning."

Yoruichi shrugged. "I don't see why not. We came all this way, and I'm sure everyone else could use a break. If you're willing to work overnight on this, then have at it, Kisuke. If you need help, you know where to find the rest of us."

Kisuke smiled. "Don't worry. By the time you finish breakfast tomorrow morning I'll have figured out our way inside!"

Yoruichi grinned. "I'll be holding you to that! Catch you later, Kisuke."

"Are you sure this is all right?" asked Itachi as the two of them turned around and headed for the mouth of the cavern.

Yoruichi smirked. "A student questioning a Captain? You _are_ a bold one, Itachi!"

He bowed politely. "I meant no offense."

"And I didn't take any," she replied, "so don't worry about it. I just so happen to agree with you that subtlety is preferable for this situation, and I don't mind waiting another night for it to bear fruit. If Kisuke says that he'll have a solution by morning, that's all I need to hear. He wouldn't brag like that on an important mission like this if he couldn't back it up."

"So, what do we do now?" he asked.

"We grab some dinner and take a load off," said Yoruichi, "Kirio will probably come back here later to help Kisuke out; she tends to like puzzles such as this one. Between the two of them, I'm sure they'll get us into the barrow. After that, it's just a matter of surveying for boobytraps and taking inventory."

Itachi nodded. "What kind of traps should we be expecting?"

Yoruichi rubbed her chin in thought. "Good question. Data on the inner workings of Andunayan barrows is rather scarce. We might have some old-fashioned spike pits or giant stone balls to deal with, or there could be something more complex. Based on the kind of barrier they got at the entrance, the latter wouldn't surprise me."

"How do you intend to deal with them?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi grinned. "Believe it or not, that's actually part of the reason why I brought Shisui along. He may be a gifted fighter and scout, but I've also noted over the years that he's got a real knack for sniffing out ambushes and other nasty surprises. He'll be on point once we breach the barrow. Kirio and I have already briefed him over every bit of knowledge in our possession regarding tombs like this; the rest will be up to him."

"I see," said Itachi quietly.

Yoruichi sighed. "Look, I know you two are friends, so I won't blame you if you've got reservations about the role I have for him in this plan. I wouldn't ask this of Shisui if I didn't trust his abilities."

She was surprised to actually see a small smile appear on his face. "No, it's all right. In fact, I happen to completely agree with you. Back when we were alive, Shisui and I trained together and fought side by side several times. I know what he's capable of, and I'm sure his skills have only improved since then. The mission you've picked for him is one that I know he'll accomplish."

Yoruichi smiled, both relieved and flattered by Itachi's praise of her Tenth Seat. "I'm glad you feel that way. Thanks, Itachi."

"You're Squad Two's Captain and Shisui's superior officer," Itachi replied, "If Shisui is willing to place his life in your hands, then that's enough for me. I trust his judgment and yours."

She studied him closely. "You two really were good friends back when you were alive, weren't you? Shisui's always spoken highly of you, and it's good to see that the feeling's mutual."

Itachi closed his eyes. "We were. To be honest… I believe we died in the wrong order. I should've been the one to pass on first; Shisui had so much more to offer the world than I did. Had he lived longer… a great many things might've been changed for the better."

Yoruichi shook her head and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Itachi, please, don't talk like that. It's true that I haven't known Shisui very long, and you even less, but I've already seen enough to know that you're both remarkable young men. Both of you were taken from your Realm of the Living far earlier than you should've been. I can't change the past, but I can offer both of you a second chance. Life in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads isn't easy, but I firmly believe that the two of you could do far greater good here than you ever could in life. Our actions do not just affect the afterlife, but all of creation. The ripples may be subtle, but one way or the other they _are_ felt. Your life has just as much value as Shisui's; never say otherwise again. Do you understand?"

He smiled again, although she could detect a hint of melancholy behind it. "Is that an order?"

"Yes," said Yoruichi, "and it's one I'll make sure to enforce once you join my division. Your second life has just begun, Itachi, and I want you to make the most of it."

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then. I'll keep that in mind."

Yoruichi grinned. "Good. Now, let's go grab a bite to eat!"

….

 **The next day…**

"Are you ready for this?" asked Shisui as he led Itachi, Jiraiya and Visaelya into the cave.

Visaelya nodded. "As ready as we're ever going to be."

"Is the barrier still up?" asked Jiraiya.

"For now, yes," Shisui replied, "but if I know the Captain and our Third Seat, it won't be for much longer."

"It will be interesting to see how they take it down," Itachi murmured.

Indeed, it was something that he was quite looking forward to witnessing. When Kisuke had demonstrated the barrier to Itachi and Yoruichi the night before, he had been most impressed with it. During his time as a Shinobi, Itachi had encountered his fair share of sealing and barrier jutsus, but the energy field that protected the entrance to the Andunayan barrow was something else entirely. As defensive mechanisms went, it was comprehensive and powerful. If his Sharingan were awakened Itachi felt that he could've found a way to pierce it, but unfortunately, he had yet to reach that particular stage of his second life. His powers were developing at a reasonable pace, but it seemed that awakening the fabled eyes of the Uchiha Clan took longer as a soul than as a human in the Realm of the Living.

He wondered if Shisui had had a chance to study the barrier with his Sharingan. Itachi knew that his friend was trying to keep the power of his eyes a secret from the Soul Society, and with Kisuke studying the barrier overnight he doubted Shisui would've been able to get more than the briefest peek at it with his Sharingan before Squad Two's Third Seat took notice. He more than understood his friend's desire to keep their clan's bloodline trait hidden, but at times like this he wondered if that was really such a good idea.

 _It would be most useful right now_ , he thought as they made their way through the cave, _and I believe Yoruichi at the very least could be entrusted with its secrets…_

They came around a corner and found the barrow doors looming before them, as impressive and intimidating now as they had been the night before. Kisuke was standing before them, as were Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, Kirio, and most of the members of Squads Two and Twelve that had come along on the expedition.

Yoruichi grinned when she caught sight of them. "Hey, about time you all showed up! I'd hate for you to miss all the fun!"

Kirio was practically bouncing on her heels in excitement. "Oh, yes! This is going to be a real treat!"

Shisui smiled. "I take it we have a way in?"

"Yup," said Kisuke, "It took a little while, but I think I've got it."

"So," said Itachi, "what can we do to help?"

Kisuke shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm afraid you students lack the kind of power that's needed to breach the barrier. We'll handle this."

Jiraiya sighed. "That bites. I hate sitting on the sidelines."

"Don't worry," said Yoruichi, "You'll be able to help out once we're inside the barrow."

"In time, we have no doubt that your powers will grow to the point that you'll be able to take part in tasks like this in the future," Kirio added, "but for now, I'm afraid you're not at that point yet. There's no shame in recognizing that."

"What will you do?" asked Visaelya as she nodded at the door, "That barrier's a formidable one."

Kisuke nodded. "Multi-node defense barriers are some of the toughest ones out there. However, they're not invincible. While the nodes working in concert are quite efficient at dividing up energy amongst themselves before absorbing it, they can be overwhelmed if targeted individually with sufficient strength. That's why only Captains and senior officers can take part in breaching the barrier."

He gestured at the doors, and Itachi realized that nine paper markers had been attached to them since he'd last seen it. Each one corresponded with a node in the barrier, and he realized what they were; target designators.

 _The barrier itself isn't visible unless it's directly attacked_ , he thought, _so you need a way to distinguish where the nodes are even when you can't see the shield. I believe I understand what Third Seat Urahara has in mind…_

Yoruichi, Kirio, and Soi-Fon stepped forward, along with several other Soul Reapers. Kisuke joined them, and they all began an incantation.

"Strike, lord of tempest and thunder! Make your fury known to men and beast alike, less they forget the higher order of the world! Hadō 4: Byakurai!"

Rather than using the open hands method, every caster fired the spell using the more precise index finger approach. While the spell itself was a low-level attack, the amount of power behind it with a full incantation was orders of magnitude greater than what a student like Itachi was capable of when cast by the Captains. When Yoruichi and Kirio's attacks were combined with those of their subordinates it became a display of spell casting strength the likes of which Itachi and his fellow students could only marvel at.

Every line of blue-white energy unleashed by the Soul Reapers converged on a single point; the node at the exact center of the barrier. There was a bright flash as the barrier activated to absorb the attacks, but Itachi saw the central node glow with the same bright blue energy as the Kidō spell striking it before suddenly bursting like an overripe fruit. Ripples of residual power from the spells flowed across the remaining nodes, but from the way the barrier was suddenly fluctuating it was clear to Itachi that it had taken considerable damage.

"Impressive…" he muttered.

Jiraiya grinned. "I'll say. A few more of those and the barrier should collapse!"

Visaelya nodded. "I hope you're right."

The Captains and their subordinates shifted their targets and repeated the same process on the center left node of the barrier. Once again, the node was nailed by pinpoint streams of blue-white energy, and just like the previous one it was overwhelmed and ruptured. The ripples of energy flowing across the rest of the barrier intensified as the remaining nodes struggled to compensate for the loss, and it was clear that the seal was destabilizing.

"One more ought to do it," said Shisui.

Glancing at his friend, Itachi saw his eyes briefly flash red; with everyone else focused on the barrier, Shisui apparently felt like it this was a good chance to study the energy field with his Sharingan. It only lasted for a moment, but the small smile that appeared on his face afterwards was enough for Itachi to know that Shisui had gotten sufficient information to verify his previous statement.

"How can you tell?" asked Visaelya.

Shisui turned to her, his eyes already back to their normal obsidian color. "Oh, I've just got a knack for reading situations like this. Spend enough time in the field and eventually you'll pick it up too."

Itachi had to suppress a chuckle. A dodge like that was classic Shisui.

It really was good to have his old friend back.

That didn't mean he wasn't concerned, though. "Yoruichi told me that you'll be on point once we breach the barrow. Be careful."

Shisui turned to him and smirked. "Hey, I thought you knew me better than that."

"I do," Itachi replied, "and you know me."

Shisui nodded. "Yeah, I suppose I do. Don't worry; I'll keep my eyes open."

The Soul Reapers made another combined attack, this time on the center right node of the barrier. Once again, the node burst after being flooded with energy, only this time instead of ripples large gashes began to appear in the barrier. Bolts of energy crackled around them as they grew, and Itachi felt a violent spike in spirit energy as the seal began to break down.

Jiraiya sensed it to. "It's gonna blow!"

"Should we take cover?" asked Visaelya.

Shisui shook his head. "We'll be fine. Trust the Captains."

Indeed, Itachi could see that both Yoruichi and Kirio appeared perfectly calm. Both were making sweeping gestures with their hands, and Itachi could sense their spiritual pressure spiking.

"Ryūbi no Jōmon!" they called out in unison.

Two rows of over a dozen large and thick white pillars materialized from above and fell between the Soul Reapers and the doorway of the barrows. There was a large blast just behind it as all the energy held by the barrow's barrier violently dispersed, but while the shield erected by the two Captains shuddered it did not break. The cavern rocked from the outburst of power, but despite the tremors Itachi did not spot any signs of an imminent collapse.

A few moments later the cavern quieted down again, and Itachi saw the two Captains step forward to closely inspect the barrier they'd erected. Their eyes both seemed to hold a critical gaze, which took Itachi by surprise; in his opinion, the two of them had done a remarkable job in constructing a sufficient defense for both themselves and their subordinates on such a short notice.

"Damn," he heard Yoruichi mutter, "Mine's got some cracks."

Kirio sighed. "Mine as well. That's embarrassing."

"Lady Yoruichi, Captain Hikifune, with all due respect, I think you're being overly harsh on your own performance," said Soi-Fon, "The barriers you erected served their purpose quite well."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Thanks, Soi-Fon, but you don't need to flatter me. Barriers aren't really my specialty. Tessai and Kisuke could easily put me to shame there."

"Tessai's second-in-command performs well there, too," said Kirio, "I'm normally proficient in them, but I think I was a little sloppy this time. It's been a while since I've had to cast Ryūbi no Jōmon."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, no sense in worrying about it right now. We're all still alive, so I guess that's enough for now."

The two Captains dispelled their barriers with a wave of their hands. Beyond was the entrance to the barrow. The doors were still intact and appeared undamaged, but Itachi could no longer sense the power of the multi-node barrier; it had been completely dispelled.

"That's amazing," Visaelya muttered, "So that's the power of the Captains…"

Jiraiya leaned forward. "Are we really in the clear? I wouldn't be surprised if that barrier wasn't the only thing protecting these doors."

Itachi turned to his old friend. "Shisui?"

Shisui shook his head. "I didn't see anything earlier, but I was just focusing on the barrier. Kisuke's been studying it a lot longer than I have, though, so if there are any other hurdles for us to get through apart from the doors themselves in order to enter the barrow I'm sure he's spotted them."

Their gazes turned to Squad Two's Third Seat as he studied the doors. After a moment they saw him turn to Yoruichi and nod.

"All right," he said, "Take a whack at it."

Yoruichi grinned. "Don't mind if I do!"

Itachi could only watch in bemusement as the lovely Captain stepped in front of the doors. For a few moments she simply folded her arms as she studied them, only to take Itachi and his fellow students completely by surprise by suddenly kicking the doors.

 _Hard._

One blow dead center was all it took for Yoruichi to violently open both doors, and Itachi was amazed that they weren't outright shattered from the force of the impact. As it was, they swung back and slammed into the interior walls of the barrow with a great clamor, but they didn't appear to have been knocked loose from the doorway.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Now that's what I call making an entrance!"

 _That's certainly one way to put it_ , thought Itachi, _I wonder if that was her full strength, or if she was still holding back…_

From what he had learned about Soul Reaper Captains so far, Itachi wouldn't be all that surprised if the latter was the case.

Visaelya was gaping at what she had just witnessed. "I thought we were supposed to be careful with a tomb like this!"

Shisui smiled. "That's our Captain for you."

As if on cue, Yoruichi turned around and gestured towards her Tenth Seat. "Shisui, you're up!"

Shisui nodded. "Understood."

"Watch out in there," said Itachi, "The barrier may be gone, but I'm still sensing traces of spirit energy coming from inside the barrow."

"Me too," Shisui replied, "I'll stay on my toes."

"Good luck, Shisui," said Visaelya, "Please, be careful."

He gave her a nod and a smile. "I will. This shouldn't take too long."

….

 _This is it_ , thought Shisui as he stood in the doorway of the tomb, _I've spent the whole journey out here psyching myself up for this, but now that it's actually in front of me…_

It was one thing to read about a barrow like this but preparing to raid one was quite another. It was far from the first time that he'd been ordered to scout out a potentially dangerous area, yet there was still something that made this tomb feel a bit more ominous that any of his prior missions.

Yoruichi seemed to catch on to his apprehension, because she approached him and put her hand on his shoulder. "You sure you want to solo this? I'd be perfectly fine backing you up if you want."

Shisui shook his head. "Thanks, Captain, but I can do this. I'm just trying to figure out where to start."

Yoruichi nodded. "I gotcha. The archives didn't have too much information about the interior of barrows like these, but if it follows standard Andunayan architecture then the chamber for the whoever the most prominent person buried here is should be at the very back. Side chambers should've been carved out for their most trusted subordinates, and then rank and file troops would be interred within the walls. Remember the importance of the number nine in Andunayan culture; that might have an influence on the layout of the barrow."

"Got it," said Shisui, "In that case, I'll head straight back and start by scoping out the rear chamber, then I'll work my way along the sides. If the most important guy in this barrow is buried at the back, then the strongest defenses should be back there too."

"Sounds about right," said Yoruichi, "Be thorough and leave nothing to chance. Those three students are quite gifted, but I still don't like the thought of one of them tripping a trap in there."

Shisui smiled. "I feel the same way."

"I'll leave you to it, then," said Yoruichi, "However, if you don't report back within half an hour, I'm sending Kisuke in after you. Understood?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes."

Yoruichi smiled. "All right, then. Get in there and do what you do best, Shisui."

"You got it, Captain," he replied.

She stepped back and away from the doorway, leaving Shisui alone in the entrance. Much to his surprise, as he peered in inside he realized it wasn't total darkness; there were flickers of blue-green light coming from within, not unlike the flames of the torches that flanked the entrance. Just like those torches on the outside, he could feel traces of spirit energy coming from those inside the barrow as well.

 _Someone clearly put a great deal of power into those flames for them to last the millennia_ , he thought as he stepped forward, _I imagine it must've required a great deal of dedication on their part. The old kingdom might've had its flaws, but at the very least it would seem they held great reverence for those who gave their lives in battle._

Confident that his comrades wouldn't discover his secret now, he activated his Sharingan. Black eyes became red, with three black tomoe orbiting the pupil. His field of vision took on a crimson tone, but that did not hinder his perception; quite the opposite, in fact. The subsequent increase in visual awareness, with even minute details of the barrow becoming so much more vivid even in the dim lighting, was as familiar to him in the afterlife now as it had been back when he was still alive in the Shinobi World, yet there were some distinct differences.

When he'd been alive, use of the Sharingan had required chakra, although since he was a member of the Uchiha Clan the amount of chakra needed to utilize the Sharingan in its basic form was minimal. Here in the Soul Society, it was spirit energy that fueled the ocular jutsu rather than chakra. The process was very similar to when he had been alive, but spirit energy did have a subtle distinction to it. Technically, Shisui knew that chakra was actually composed of physical energy _and_ spirit energy, which in theory meant that the power he was using now as a Soul Reaper had always been with him, but there was more to it than that. Shisui had been trying to pin it down for years, but even after all this time he still only had theories. The best way that he could square it in his head was to think of chakra as life energy produced by the combination of a living body and the soul, while spirit energy was tied to the soul itself and thus more easily awakened and utilized by the dead as opposed to the living. There were exceptions to this, of course, such as the now-vanished Quincy, and Shisui was aware of the existence of other humans that fell under the broad category known as 'mediums' whose power sprang from spirit energy as opposed to chakra, but in his eyes the distinction he'd come up with still served well as a general rule.

The subtle differences between chakra and spirit energy meant that one could not be manipulated exactly like the other; a wielder had to adjust their technique to account for the discrepancies. That was why a man like Jiraiya, who had been a legendarily powerful Shinobi in life, was now a Soul Reaper-in-training; learning to manipulate spirit energy when one had been used to manipulating chakra all their lives was the equivalent of having to relearn not only how to walk but also having to rethink nearly every other aspect of their existence and adapt accordingly. Shisui was well aware of what that felt like; even now that he was the Tenth Seat of Squad Two and had once again awakened his Sharingan, he still felt like he had a long way to go before he could discover the true scope of his abilities.

He was sure that Itachi felt the same way.

 _He'll be immensely powerful someday_ , he thought with a smile, _I wouldn't be surprised if he surpasses me once he becomes fully attuned to his spirit energy and his Zanpakutō. He may even be able to recreate the jutsus we used in life through spirit energy beyond simply reactivating the Sharingan and its abilities._

Since Shisui had greatly limited his use of the Sharingan in order to conceal the fact that he had it from the Soul Society, he was actually still trying to discover all that it could do now that he was a spirit instead of a flesh-and-blood human. The powers of the Eye of Insight, for example, seemed to remain intact, but with a few key differences. For starters, Shisui could perceive spirit energy both around him and within others through it, although he imagined that the Byakugan of the Hyūga Clan could still outshine the Sharingan in that department. The incredible clarity of perception remained, and Shisui had discovered that this applied to Hollows as well; the few times he'd been able to fight them alone with the power of the Sharingan, he'd been able to discern minute individual muscle movements in the beasts that had given him a distinct advantage in fighting them, and he'd even been able to pick up hints of their actual composition. This had allowed him to strike with precision that rivaled or even exceeded that which he'd been capable of in life. The third aspect, the ability to copy jutsu, was something Shisui had been unable to test thus far since he'd yet to come across any spiritual foes wielding ninjutsu.

However, he _had_ covertly used the Sharingan on occasion to observe other Soul Reapers as they cast spells or unleashed their Zanpakutō, and he had felt that he'd been able to gain greater understanding as to how their powers worked and how they manipulated their spirit energy. It was impossible to mimic another Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō, of course, but gaining greater insight into how each individual weapon worked in synch with its wielder was still invaluable, especially since one of Squad Two's duties in conjunction with the Stealth Force was to hunt down deserters and traitors. As for being able to copy the unique abilities demonstrated by Hollows, Shisui'd had little luck there, either. What he was most curious about was whether or not it was possible for him to copy and reproduce the Cero of a Menos Grande, but he'd yet to find the opportunity to try that out.

For all of the useful abilities that the Sharingan's Eye of Insight bestowed, though, what had really surprised Shisui was the fact that he could still utilize the gifts of the Eye of Hypnotism. He'd been completely floored the first time he'd realized that the Sharingan made it possible for him to employ genjutsu with spirit energy as the fuel as opposed to chakra. More importantly still was the discovery that the Sharingan's genjutsu was just as effective against Hollows as it was against humans. It was one of the reasons why Shisui was more eager than most members of Squad Two to engage Hollows on his own; he wanted every opportunity possible to test and refine the Eye of Hypnotism aspect of the Sharingan, crafting more and more realistic illusions to entrap Hollows and make them easier to eliminate. Shisui knew that he still had a long way to go on that front, but he felt that he was definitely making progress.

The Eye of Hypnotism was not an aspect of the Sharingan that he needed at the moment, though; it was the Eye of Insight that he required right now. As he stepped further into the barrow, Shisui was already analyzing every stone in the floor for signs of traps. So far, he'd yet to find any, but he had only just entered the ancient tomb.

 _Remember, don't let your guard down_ , he mentally told himself, _Andunayan barrows do not give up their secrets without a fight._

As he progressed, the blue-green flames from the torches mounted along the walls grew brighter, eventually revealing the tomb in its full splendor. Although he remained focused on the task at hand, Shisui couldn't help but marvel at what he beheld. The main chamber had a vaulted ceiling that must've been at least a hundred feet high, and it was supported by columns that retained their grace and strength even after the passing of the millennia. At the foot of each column standing at least twenty feat high were stone statues of armored warriors, their shields broad and their curved blades raised in salute. Arches on both sides of the main chamber led off into side areas, with Shisui counting four on each side. The walls between the arches had the script of the old kingdom carved upon them, and Shisui suspected that Yoruichi had been right on the money; the common soldiers that had perished in the great battle this tomb had been built for were buried behind those walls.

As fascinating as the ancient script and carvings on the side walls were, though, they paled in comparison to what lay ahead. As he cautiously moved forward, Shisui was stunned by the intricate work he found at the far end of the chamber. High above was a nine-pointed star, each line glowing with bright blue spirit energy. Below it was a doorway, with Andunayan script glowing the same color as the star above emblazoned upon it. Flanking the doorway were two more stone statues of armored warriors, and unlike the ones at the bases of the columns these had intricate and flowing patterns of glowing blue energy upon their armor, shields and even their swords.

"Incredible…" he murmured as he approached.

His awe was well warranted, but it was also a mistake. As he continued to approach he became less mindful of where his feet were with his gaze almost bewitched by what he saw ahead. None of the stone tiles that made up the floor of the central chamber appeared all that different from each other at first glance, but one was faintly emanating blue-green spirit energy not unlike those of the flames that lit up the barrow.

And Shisui was heading right for it.

He only noticed when his right foot brushed against the edge of the tile and he sensed a sudden spike in spirit energy. Reacting on instinct honed through years of training, Shisui Flash Stepped backwards, and it wasn't a moment too soon. The small amount of spirit energy concealed beneath the tile acted as a trigger mechanism; as soon as his foot had brushed it, concealed panels in the ceiling up above had slid open. Shisui's Flash Step was the only thing that saved him from the surge of blue-green spirit energy that came crashing down like a wave. The concentrated power hammered the spot where he'd just been standing, and when the energy eventually dissipated Shisui saw that same area charred and cracked from taking the hit.

He breathed a heavy sight of relief. "That was _way_ too close…"

"Shisui!" called Yoruichi from the entrance, "You okay in there?"

"I'm all right!" he shouted back, "Just found a little excitement in here!"

He heard her laugh echo through the chamber. "Well, don't have too much fun in there!"

He couldn't help but smirk at that. "Right."

He wanted to smack himself for getting so caught up in the splendor of the ancient tomb that he'd forgotten to watch his footing. Renewing his focus, he carefully studied the floor ahead with the Sharingan. He noticed several tiles like the one he'd just brushed up against, spaced out seemingly at random but with their concentration growing thicker the closer they got to the doorway at the far end of the chamber.

 _I know the Captain said not to have too much fun in here_ , he mused with a smirk as he sized up the situation, _but it looks like I might have to disobey her this time…_

….

Visaelya looked back and forth nervously between the open doorway and her fellow students. "Do you think he's doing all right in there? It sounds awfully… _noisy_ for a scouting run."

Itachi wasn't about to argue with that. It sounded like a veritable thunderstorm was taking place inside the barrow, complete with ominous flashes that illuminated the darkness beyond entrance to the tomb. When combined with the spikes in spirit energy that Itachi could sense, one thing was quite clear; the barrow's inner defenses were very much active, and they were giving Shisui a workout.

Still, Itachi wasn't overly concerned; he could still clearly sense Shisui's spiritual pressure, and his old friend didn't feel like he was down for the count. "He's fine."

Jiraiya nodded. "Agreed. A bit of a shame that we have to stay out here, though; it sounds like we're missing quite the show!"

Visaelya folded her arms. "This isn't a game, Jiraiya. Shisui is risking his life for the sake of the mission!"

"Yes, and that's to be expected of any Soul Reaper," Jiraiya countered, "It'll be no different for the three of us once we graduate. Besides, look at Squad Two's Captain; does she seem to be all that worried about her Tenth Seat?"

Itachi glanced at Yoruichi, and she looked much the same as before; calm, confident, and even relaxed. He had expected no less given his prior encounters with her, and it only served to reinforce his own confidence in Shisui's ability to handle his mission.

Visaelya didn't seem quite as reassured, though. "Well, no, but still… that doesn't change the fact that what he's doing is very dangerous. He really shouldn't have been sent in alone like that!"

"He can handle it," said Itachi, "Just wait and see."

Visaelya scowled at him. "I thought Shisui was your friend. Shouldn't you be more worried about him?"

"I'm not worried _because_ he's my friend," Itachi replied, "I know what he's capable of. If he thought this was beyond his ability to handle by himself, he would've said so to the Captains. He knows what he's doing."

Visaelya sighed. "Fine. I still don't like it, though."

 _She's more concerned about him than I would've expected_ , he thought, _I wonder what brought that on…_

 _ **You truly are clueless sometimes**_ , his Zanpakutō berated him, _**I was hoping that you would've wised up at least a little bit by now.**_

 __ _Is there something meaningful that you wish to tell me?_

 _ **Oh, no, not at all. It's much more fun to watch you wrack your brain trying to figure things out than simply give you a straight answer.**_

 __ _Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself._

 _ **At least one of us is.**_

 __Itachi shook his head as he shifted his thoughts away from his Visaelya and his Zanpakutō and back to Shisui and the barrow. The amount of spirit energy that was being thrown at his old friend was considerable, yet what struck him as odd was that he couldn't sense any other form of life in the tomb apart from Shisui. The best hypothesis Itachi could come up with was that somehow the Andunayans that had built the barrow had managed to create a system of seals and vessels capable of storing spirit energy and then releasing it upon the tripping of the appropriate trigger mechanism. From what he could tell, Shisui was tripping these spirit energy detonators on purpose, likely in an effort to clear out all the traps before his fellow Soul Reapers entered the tomb.

He wished now more than ever that his Sharingan was activated. Itachi was genuinely intrigued with regards to the barrow's defenses, and he would've enjoyed the chance to study them up close with Shisui. Alas, he had yet to reach the point where he could awaken his clan's ocular jutsu; Shisui was indeed correct about it taking longer to unlock the Sharingan in the afterlife than in their first life.

 _ **Your time will come**_ , said his Zanpakutō, her reassuring tone taking Itachi by surprise, _**I have no doubt of that. You've come far in just a few short years, but your journey has only just begun. Trust that the path you stride now is the one you're meant for.**_

 __ _I'll… keep that in mind._

 _ **Good. It'd be a shame if all of my lessons went to waste on you.**_

 __ _You're hardly my only teacher._

 _ **Perhaps, but I'm the one that will be with you long after graduation.**_

 __Itachi had to concede the point on that one.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Jiraiya lean forward, his brow furrowing as he studied the gaping entrance of the tomb. "It's gotten quiet. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"

Closing his eyes, Itachi concentrated on the spirit energy he could sense in the ancient barrow. It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for, and he opened his eyes a moment later.

"A good thing," he said, "Shisui's all right."

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

"Focus," Itachi replied, "You've had the same training as the rest of us. If I can sense him, so can you."

Visaelya was quiet for a moment as she closed her eyes, and Itachi could feel her concentration narrow on the barrow entrance. A few seconds later she opened her eyes, and there was no small measure of relief in her expression.

"You're right," she said, "He's okay."

Jiraiya smiled. "Thought so. I hope he didn't leave too much of a mess in there."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he saw a familiar silhouette coming out of the darkness of the tomb. "I think we're about to find out."

Shisui appeared a few moments later. Itachi saw what looked like a few scuff marks on his robes, but apart from that he seemed no worse for the wear.

Yoruichi stepped forward and smiled. "So, how'd it go in there?"

"All traps have been cleared," he reported, "The barrow's secure."

Yoruichi grinned. "Nice work! I knew I could count on you."

"Find any particularly nasty ones in there?" asked Kisuke with a smirk.

Shisui shrugged. "Depends on how you define 'nasty'. The ones you heard earlier were trigger mechanisms for stored spirit energy. I'm not sure how the Andunayans kept it sealed so that it didn't deteriorate over the millennia, but whatever method they used worked quite well."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure you got them all?"

Shisui nodded. "I made a clean sweep. We're good."

Kirio smiled. "Wonderful! Shall we proceed, then? I imagine there's quite a bit in there for us to catalog."

Yoruichi nodded. "I'm sure you're right. Just one thing to take care of first."

She then turned to Itachi, Jiraiya, and Visaelya. "Come on up here, you three!"

The trio looked at each other for a moment, wondering what she had in mind. The only way they'd get an answer was to follow her lead, though, so they did exactly that.

Once they got to the front of the group, Squad Two's Captain addressed them again. "Since I want the three of you to get the most out of this, each of you are going to shadow an individual officer so you can get some one-on-one instruction. Itachi, you'll be with me. Jiraiya, you're with Kisuke. Visaelya, you can go with Shisui. Any questions?"

"What will our duties be?" asked Visaelya.

"To help us catalogue the contents of the barrow, as well as to observe us in our work," said Yoruichi, "After all, you're out here to learn. The knowledge and experience you'll gain today will serve you well in both your last year at the Academy and after you graduate."

"Is there anything in particular that we're looking for?" asked Jiraiya.

"Spirit Weapons and Armor are our top priorities," Yoruichi replied, "However, don't limit yourselves to just items that fall in those two categories. If something stands out to you, don't be afraid to speak up. Barrows like this one are supposed to contain all kinds of rare and unique artifacts, and the old kingdom's artisans were unapparelled in what they could create."

"Try to be careful," said Kisuke, "Shisui might've cleared the way for us, but stay on your guard just the same. Also, watch out when you're handling the artifacts. Weapons and armor shouldn't be so fragile, but you never know what else might be in there."

"Try not to disturb any remains you find if at all possible," Soi-Fon added, "It could very well be that some of the people interred here are ancestors of members of the modern Soul Society's aristocracy, and their descendants will likely react poorly to any news of what could be interpreted as desecration."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "I though this whole mission was basically desecration. I mean, it _is_ organized grave robbery, after all."

"It's different when it comes to the weapons and armor likely to be inside the barrow," Yoruichi countered, "Retrieval of artifacts by the Thirteen Court Guard Squads is something that all the noble families are in agreement on, and they understand that sometimes that work can appear a little unseemly. They're more on the lookout for acts that could be considered deliberate desecration of corpses; they'd consider those to be gross offenses against their family's honor and would demand retribution. As long as you're cautious and respectful you should be fine."

Kirio grinned. "Well, no time like the present, right? Squad Twelve will start with the left half of the barrow."

Yoruichi nodded. "Squad Two will take the right. Itachi, you and I will inspect the chamber at the far end of the main vault."

"Understood," Itachi replied.

Yoruichi smiled. "All right, then. Let's go treasure hunting!"

The gathered Soul Reapers dispersed and went towards their respective assigned areas. Itachi fell in behind Yoruichi and followed her through the center of the main chamber. He couldn't help but admire the architecture and craftsmanship as they proceeded towards the ornate doors at the far end; the tomb truly was a marvel to behold.

Yoruichi looked over her shoulder and winked at him. "Pretty impressive, isn't it?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. It's hard to believe they were able to carve such an elaborate structure into the earth like this."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, the old kingdom was never known for half-assing projects like this. It's why so many of their structures have survived the passing of the millennia."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Even though the modern Soul Society would rather forget all about the old kingdom?"

"That's right," Yoruichi replied, "Sure, the Central Forty-Six goes out of its way to confiscate or destroy anything Andunayan that it can get its hands on, but there are some things that they simply can't do that to. Barrows like these are one of them. They can try to keep people from finding them, but that's about it."

"The Seireitei used to be the heart of the old kingdom, right?" asked Itachi, "In that light, it wouldn't be far-fetched for there to be similar tombs hidden beneath it, especially for the old nobility and royalty."

Yoruichi smiled. "You're a sharp one. To tell you the truth, most of the old barrows that were made in the Seireitei have already been discovered; they're just concealed by the Central Forty-Six or the noble family that they belong to. It's possible there could still be one or two more hidden beneath the Seireitei that no one's found yet, but the odds of discovering fresh barrows are better out here in The Wild."

"I see," said Itachi as they approached the doors at the far end of the barrow.

When they got closer he saw Yoruichi lean closer to study the glowing script on the doors. Her eyes narrowed in concentration, and after a few moments he saw her smile.

"Well, well," she said, "That's interesting."

"What is?" he asked.

"The big shot that's interred behind these doors," she replied, "Turns out it's one of my ancestors."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. A distant one, but one just the same. Guess he underestimated the people they were fighting out here. Well, too bad for him."

She seemed awfully casual about the fact that they were intruding upon the tomb of one of her ancestors. Then again, it wasn't like said ancestor would have any further need of whatever artifacts the two of them found beyond the doors. Their mission was clear, and Itachi had to admire how she could set aside any personal feelings regarding her distant ancestor and focus on the task of cataloguing whatever ancient weapons and armor were interred with them.

She was focused on her objective much like a true Shinobi would be. Itachi had to wonder what it would've been like to serve beside her as a ninja in a past life. If her speed and power as a Soul Reaper Captain was any indication, then he was potentially standing next to a woman that could rival the Fourth Hokage himself in terms of damage she could do on the battlefield.

She gave him a mischievous smile, and Itachi knew she'd caught him staring. "Something on your mind?"

Itachi shook his head, although the slight rush of heat to his face betrayed the mask he tried to put up. "Nothing important."

She winked; she wasn't fooled for a minute but was apparently willing to let it slide so the mission could continue. "Right. Well, if that changes, feel free to let me know. In the meantime, we've got a little situation on our hands here."

"What do you mean?" asked Itachi.

"Simple," said Yoruichi as she gave the door a good knock, "How are we going to get through this thing?"

It was a good question. Turning to study the door, Itachi couldn't detect any signs of a barrier, but the stone appeared quite thick and there were no signs of anything resembling a lock that could be picked. In fact, there were no handles or any sort of opening mechanism whatsoever.

"I'm normally not an advocate for brute force," he said after a moment, "However, given the manner in which we entered this barrow, that might be our only viable option for gaining access to the chamber beyond these doors."

Yoruichi folded her arms, her brow furrowing in concentration. "You might be right. I'd prefer a subtler approach too, but we might not have much of a choice here. The writing on the doors isn't offering much in the way of clues… wait a second."

She leaned closer to the stone surface, and to Itachi it seemed like she was focusing on one word in particular. He wished that he could read the ancient script so he could figure out what she had in mind, and he resolved to make learning it a priority as soon as they returned to the Seireitei.

Yoruichi smiled. "Well, I'll be damned. It was staring us in the face the whole time."

Itachi was puzzled. "What was?"

"The way in," she replied, "In fact, I daresay that I'm the perfect candidate for this job due to my family connection here. Itachi, you might want to step back and brace yourself."

That didn't offer much clarity, but Itachi figured he'd find out what was going on soon enough. Giving her the requested space, he steeled himself the best he could, although it would've been much easier if he knew what exactly he was supposed to brace for.

 _What on Earth is she planning?_

He got his answer a moment later when she unleashed a surge of spiritual pressure. Despite her warning, Itachi still felt his knees buckle at the incredible raw power that washed over him. The air became heavy and thick, and he found himself struggling just to breathe.

"Unbelievable…" he murmured.

He'd known that she was powerful, yet nothing had prepared him for the level of strength that she was displaying now. Her aura was burning a brilliant white, with her spiritual pressure pulsing outward in waves that slammed into Itachi harder than any that an ocean tempest could summon. Fine stone dust fell on him from above, and he realized that the power pouring from her was causing the entire tomb to tremble.

The astounding power Yoruichi was unleashing now was reflected in her radiant golden eyes as they remained fixed on the doors before her. Itachi's eyes widened as he saw the glowing letters upon the entryway grow brighter, as if they were responding to her surging spirit energy. There was so much raw power being brought out now that it was hard to remember that she hadn't even unleashed her Shikai or Bankai; this was still naught but a fraction of her true strength.

 _If she ever went all-out_ , he thought as he looked on in awe, _she'd be more than a match for the Akatsuki._

Her power blazed like a beacon, and after a few moments more the tomb answered. The already brilliantly glowing runes increased in radiance to a point where they were damn near blinding, and Itachi could hear the slow grumble of stone moving against stone. The two heavy and intricately carved slabs that made up the entrance to the barrow's inner sanctum gradually began to give way, as if they were yielding to Yoruichi's power. Throughout the whole display, Itachi realized that he'd been holding his breath and belatedly gasped for air.

Yoruichi looked over at him and smiled. "Sorry. It's almost over. Hang in there."

She began reducing her power output a few seconds later. By then, the doors to the inner tomb were almost fully ajar, more than enough for the two of them to pass through. Soon enough, Yoruichi brought the rest of her spiritual pressure back down to her normal level of suppression, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from Itachi's chest.

She gave him a pat on the back. "You held up pretty well. It takes a lot of strength to stay on one's feet when a Captain's exerting their power. You should be proud."

Itachi shook his head. "I could barely hold it together. I still have a long way to go."

Yoruichi winked. "You're farther along than you might think. That's one of the reasons why I chose you for this mission, you know. You may not realize it but being able to remain on your feet like that means you're already at a level that surpasses many unseated Soul Reapers. You've got a promising future ahead of you come graduation!"

He couldn't help but give a small smile at her praise. "Thank you."

"Anytime," she replied before gesturing at the open tomb, "Now, what do you say we see what kind of treasures are buried with this guy?"

"I'll follow your lead," he said.

As the two of them stepped inside the chamber, green-blue flames suddenly sprang to life in stone torches mounted on the walls. With their light now illuminating the chamber, Itachi was able to make a proper assessment, and he was impressed. It was larger than he'd anticipated, and intricate murals comprised of glowing blue lines of spirit energy flowed along the walls. On the left, one appeared to depict a man in elaborate armor leading troops into battle, his great sword held high signaling a charge. Meanwhile, on the left there was an image of what appeared to be the same figure, this time heading up what looked like a war council. In the center of the chamber there was a large stone sarcophagus, and as Itachi and Yoruichi approached it lit up with the same glowing runes that they'd seen on the doors.

Yoruichi gave a broad, sweeping gesture with her arm. "I'll say this much for the old kingdom; they made sure their dead slept in style. Well, the prominent ones, anyway."

Itachi nodded as he took it all in. "Indeed. This one must've been a general in addition to a lord of the Shihōin Clan. No disrespect intended, but I have to wonder if his rank only came thanks to his noble birth, or if he actually earned his position."

Yoruichi laughed. "None taken. Aristocracies are like that. It could've gone either way, for all we know. I'm a bit surprised at the murals depicting him in heavy armor, though; the Shihōin Clan typically favors speed and stealth over cumbersome gear."

"Perhaps the weight of his armor played a role in his downfall," said Itachi, "He didn't play to your family's strengths and paid the price for it."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Possibly. Maybe he was the exception that preferred the protection and power of heavy armor and great swords rather than being swift on his feet. Remember, just because a Great Noble House has certain specialties doesn't mean that every member adheres to them. It could've been something other than heavy gear and overly large swords that ultimately did this guy in."

Itachi walked around the chamber, looking for signs of hidden storerooms or traps and coming up empty. He then turned back to the sarcophagus.

"I suppose any treasure in this chamber will be in there," he said, nodding at the heavy stone grave.

"Yup," said Yoruichi, "Should be enough room in there for whatever's left of this guy's corpse and plenty of weapons and armor. It was an Andunayan tradition for prominent leaders to be buried with their prized gear, so given this person's level of importance in the barrow's layout we should be looking at quite the find here."

"In that case," said Itachi, "how do we open this?"

Yoruichi knelt down next to the sarcophagus and studied it carefully. She took a few minutes to move around it, searching for what Itachi could only assume was some kind if mechanism to open it.

She eventually stood up and shook her head. "Not seeing any sort of hidden switch or trigger. I guess we're just going to have to slide that big slab there off the old-fashioned way."

"Should we go get help?" asked Itachi, "It looks rather heavy."

Yoruichi shook her head. "No need. I can handle this. Stand back."

Itachi did so, wondering just what he was about to witness this time. He got his answer a moment later when she raised her right leg and kicked the slab.

 _Hard._

The stone cover went flying into the wall with a thundering crash, yet when it fell to the ground Itachi was amazed to see that there was hardy any damage at the point of impact. The mural of spirit energy lines was mostly intact, with only a few minor disruptions.

"Impressive…" he muttered.

Yoruichi winked. "Me or the wall?"

"Both," he said.

"Aw, you're sweet!" she laughed, "A real charmer, you know that?"

The sound of her warm laughter was like sweet music in his ears. Itachi didn't know why, but once again he felt that strange rush of heat to his face that he only seemed to experience when he was around her.

And once again, he heard his Zanpakutō ridiculing him. _**You're an idiot.**_

 _So you keep telling me. Will you ever enlighten me as to_ why _you keep doing so?_

 _ **No. Figure it out yourself. The answer's staring you right in the face.**_

The only thing Itachi could see in front of him was Yoruichi. That alone gave him a few ideas, but he had to question if they were right.

Once again, she caught him staring and pounced on it. "Gonna tell me what's on your mind _this_ time, handsome?"

Itachi pointed looked away, trying to focus on the tomb instead of the Captain. "The mission… that's all."

Yoruichi giggled. " _Right…_ well, in that case, get up here. We've got a grave to rob!"

 _She sounds way too cheerful about that._

Before the two of them could look inside, they were interrupted by Soi-Fon as she came rushing in. "Lady Yoruichi, are you all right?"

Yoruichi laughed. "Relax, Soi-Fon. It was just a little roughhousing!"

Soi-Fon sighed in equal parts relief and exasperation. "When I heard that loud noise… Lady Yoruichi, please try to be more careful."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Hold on a moment; the noise I made when I kicked that stone slab into the wall made you come running, but not the spike in my spiritual pressure? Soi-Fon, are you sure you've got your priorities straight?"

"Your surge in spiritual pressure was very controlled, so I wasn't worried," Soi-Fon replied, "It was the crashing sound that came later that caught me off guard."

"In all fairness, you're not the only one," Itachi admitted, "I didn't expect her to open the sarcophagus in such a… _blunt_ manner."

Yoruichi grinned. "Hey, it worked, right? By the way, Soi-Fon; now that you're here do you want to help me plunder my ancestor's tomb?"

Soi-Fon's eyes widened. "What? You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I totally am," Yoruichi replied, "Come on, Soi-Fon; you didn't check the runes on the doors? I was the one that taught you to read High Andunayan script, after all; you should've had no problem recognizing my family name out there."

Soi-Fon sighed. "Sorry, Lady Yoruichi. I was focused on finding you. I didn't think the inscriptions on the doors were very important."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, don't worry about it. Come on, then; let's take a peek and see what we find."

Approaching the open sarcophagus with the two women, Itachi leaned over and peered inside. He wasn't surprised in the least to see a skeleton clad head-to-toe in armor, although he had to admit that the bones were preserved remarkably well. Itachi could sense the latent spirit energy in the armor, and that wasn't the only source of power in the grave.

The occupant of the sarcophagus was surrounded by all manner of weapons. The most prominent were a pair of great swords flanking the armored skeleton on either side, but they were far from the only ones. Knives, maces, axes, sickles, and much more were crammed into the grave; whoever this particular ancestor of Yoruichi's was, he'd built up quite the collection over the years.

Yoruichi whistled. "Wow. Talk about a stash!"

Soi-Fon's jaw nearly hit the floor. "Unbelievable…"

"Are _all_ of these Spirit Weapons?" asked Itachi.

"What are your senses telling you?" Yoruichi replied with a smirk.

Concentrating on the stockpile before him, Itachi stretched out with the abilities that he'd been finetuning over the past five years. It took a few seconds, but he found the answer he was looking for.

"It seems they are," he said, "Hard to believe so many valuable weapons would be sealed away in a single grave."

Yoruichi nodded. "It's a damn waste if you ask me. I guess this guy felt otherwise."

"What do we do now?" asked Soi-Fon.

"Simple," said Yoruichi, "Start grabbing and examining. We'll sort by weapon type; knives, swords, axes, etc. The guys in Squad Twelve will owe us one for making their jobs a bit easier."

"Very well, then," said Itachi as he leaned over the open sarcophagus again, idly wondering what piece he should remove first.

After a few moments his eyes settled on a curved dagger. The blade appeared simple enough, but the hilt was made from what looked like fine silver, and numerous sapphires were embedded in it. His curiosity aroused, Itachi cautiously reached out and grabbed the weapon. As he pulled it from the grave he could feel the energy within the weapon reacting to his spirit pressure. His right arm shivered as pulses of frigid power went out from the weapon, and he was startled to actually see _frost_ forming on the blade. That frost swiftly spread down the weapon, and Itachi felt a flicker of apprehension as it evolved into ice and rapidly approached his hand.

Soi-Fon's eyes widened in shock. "Itachi! Drop that blade!"

"No," said Yoruichi, much calmer than her bodyguard, "He can handle it."

"But Lady Yoruichi, it could kill him!" she protested.

"It won't if he handles it right," Yoruichi replied as she put her hand on Itachi's shoulder, "Itachi, hit it with your spiritual pressure. It's challenging you; you need to prove that you're worthy of it."

Itachi nodded, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the blade. "Right."

Concentrating solely on the weapon in his hand, he channeled his power through his arm. He'd received plenty of training over the years about how to harness and control his spiritual pressure, but he'd never had to exert it on a single point outside of a Kidō spell like this before.

 _ **I hope you realize that if you fail we're both going to freeze to death.**_

 _The thought_ had _crossed my mind._

 _ **Good. No pressure or anything.**_

 _Of course_ , he thought dryly.

The encroaching ice halted just short of his fingers; Itachi had managed to assert his power not a moment too soon. He then gradually pushed with his spiritual pressure, and the ice began to recede. A few seconds later it disappeared altogether, and Itachi could sense the power of the weapon begin to synch with his own.

 _ **Impressive.**_

 __ _Thanks._

Soi-Fon sighed with relief. "That was close."

Yoruichi had a satisfied smile on her face. "I knew you could take it. You've come much further than you might think, Itachi."

Itachi's gaze was still focused on the dagger. "What was that? I thought the Spirit Weapons of the old kingdom were supposed to act as conduits for our spirit energy and weren't fully sentient like Zanpakutō. This one actively challenged me."

"Some Spirit Weapons were given special properties by those who forged them as a means to defend themselves from unworthy wielders," said Yoruichi, "They test those that pick them up, probing their strength and resolve. It's more of an animal instinct than outright sentience. You passed its test, so now it's falling into line."

Soi-Fon folded her arms and gave her Captain a stern look. "Lady Yoruichi, with all due respect, that was still incredibly reckless. What if Itachi hadn't been able to handle it?"

"I would've backed him up with my spiritual pressure," Yoruichi replied calmly, "but, as you can see, that wasn't necessary. Have a little faith in him, Soi-Fon. After all, once graduation's done, he'll be our new colleague!"

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "That strikes me as a bit presumptuous."

"Not at all," said Itachi, "I'd very much like to join the Second Division upon graduation, if it'll have me, of course."

Yoruichi grinned. "You really have to ask? Why do you think I've paid such close attention to you over the years? I've wanted you in my squad since the moment I first saw you and Jiraiya take on that Hollow!"

Itachi couldn't help but smile; he'd suspected that was the case, but it felt good to have that validation. "I'm honored. Thank you."

"Hey, you've earned it," said Yoruichi, "I've been monitoring your scores and instructor evaluations, and you've never stopped improving or pushing yourself. You're the star pupil for your year, and I'm not just blowing smoke because you're my favorite; it's established fact."

"Respectfully, I disagree," said Itachi, "Jiraiya is, at the very least, my equal."

Yoruichi smirked. "Oh, he's good, I've got no doubt of that. I know he plays the part of a playful pervert, especially with his side gig as a writer, but his talent is the real deal. You're both going to be invaluable additions to the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Still, between the two of you, I think that you have a bit more of an aptitude for the kind of assignments that Second Division tends to get."

Itachi nodded. "I see. I hope you're right."

"Oh, I think I am," Yoruichi replied with a wink, "Now, let's get back to work. There are still plenty of weapons left for us to take a look at here, and we need to sort them all out before we can go home."

….

"What do you think?" asked Kisuke.

Jiraiya couldn't help but smile at the weapon grasped in his hands. "I gotta admit, it's really something special."

The particular piece he was holding was an ornate spear. Runes of the old kingdom were engraved on both sides of the blade, and the point where it was set into the long handle was sheathed in gold. Several emeralds formed a wavy circle around the hilt, and they each occasionally emitted a small burst of green-yellow sparks. The power of the weapon coursed along it and up Jiraiya's arms in the form of cascading bolts, but he'd already exerted his spiritual pressure to counter them in order to avoid harm.

 _The ancient artisans and smiths certainly didn't lack for talent_ , he thought as he studied the Spirit Weapon, _I can't recall finding many weapons as refined and lovingly crafted as this one during my life in the Shinobi World…._

It was only the latest in a series of beautiful weapons that Jiraiya had examined since he'd started exploring the room with Kisuke. The two of them were inspecting one of the side chambers, and from what Squad Two's Third Seat had revealed to him so far Jiraiya surmised that several mid and high-ranking officers were interred here. The quality of the Spirit Weapons and Armor they'd found so far seemed to fit that category well-enough, and Jiraiya was gaining a new appreciation for why the Soul Society was so determined to catalogue all the artifacts and confiscate them.

A few paces away, Kisuke was studying a series of runes on the wall. There was an open slot just above them where they'd found several of the weapons that currently littered the room, and they were still trying to categorize everything. Jiraiya couldn't help but wonder what his late mentor would think if he could see him now; he doubted Hiruzen Sarutobi had ever pictured him as an amateur archaeologist after playing the role of class clown and troublemaker for so long.

 _I really do need to see if I can find him one of these days_ , he mused, _I know the Soul Society's vast, far more so than the Shinobi World, but even so I should be able to track him down. I just need information and time._

"Something on your mind?" asked Kisuke.

Jiraiya smirked; despite his laid-back demeanor, Squad Two's Third Seat was as sharp as they came. "Guilty as charged."

Kisuke smiled. "Normally this is the part where I tell you to keep your eye on the ball, but since Shisui's already cleared the barrow of traps we're pretty much in the clear. What's up?"

Jiraiya figured there was no harm in running it by him; he seemed like a pretty decent guy and given his experience he might even have an answer or two that could help him out. "Let's say you wanted to track someone down in the Soul Society that came here from one of the Realms of the Living. How would you go about doing that?"

Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "I take it this is more than just a hypothetical question."

Jiraiya nodded. "You catch on quick."

Kisuke shrugged. "It's part of my job."

"Right," said Jiraiya, "So, how would you do it?"

Kisuke sighed. "Tough call. You got any leads?"

"Only that he'd be from the Shinobi World, the same Realm of the Living that Itachi, Shisui and I are from," Jiraiya admitted, "In a place as vast as the Soul Society I know that's not much to go on."

Kisuke nodded. "All too true. It doesn't really matter which particular Realm of the Living people are from; they tend to get dropped into the Soul Society at pretty random spots. Still, it's not unheard of for souls from particular Realms to eventually link up and form certain afterlife expat communities, for want of a better term."

Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly; this was the first time he'd heard of something like that. "Are you serious?"

"Completely," Kisuke replied, "Most tend to be pretty small and don't draw much attention, but there are some larger ones that the Soul Society keeps tabs on. They're good for peacekeeping purposes in the Rukon District, but they can also be sources of potential organized threats. Whether they're a blessing or a curse really depends on your individual point of view."

"True enough," said Jiraiya, "Ever heard of any communities formed by souls from the Shinobi World?"

Kisuke shook his head. "No, but that doesn't mean they're not out there. The Seireitei's pretty lousy at keeping up with the inner affairs and workings of the Rukon District, to tell you the truth. It's entirely possible that a large Shinobi World expat community has formed out there. Hell, there could be multiple enclaves for all we know."

Jiraiya nodded; it wasn't a confirmation, but it was certainly promising. "Would there be any way to tell them apart from the rest of the Rukon District?"

Kisuke's brow furrowed in thought. "Well, each Realm of the Living is unique, so any expatriate communities that pop up in the Soul Society would likewise have specific characteristics that others would not. They'll usually take some sort of symbol that was commonly used in their particular Realm of the Living and put it on a sign or some other form of marker in order to serve as a guide for others from the same world as them. Family or clan crests, national emblems or flags; there are plenty of different forms such markers can take."

Jiraiya smiled; he could already think of a few such markers that he could look for. "Lots of options out there, but that does help narrow things down. Thanks."

"Sure," said Kisuke, "Of course, even knowing what to look for only helps you so much. After all, the Rukon District alone is bigger than many countries in the Realms of the Living. It'd be the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack."

"Maybe," Jiraiya admitted, "but knowing what the needle looks like is better than nothing."

Kisuke nodded. "True. Still, you've got another year until you'll be able to start looking for that needle."

Jiraiya sighed. "I know. Even then, I suspect I won't have nearly as much time as I would like to conduct my search given that I'll have duties of my own to carry out as a Soul Reaper."

"Exactly," said Kisuke with a smile, "which is why I would advise that you try to get some help with your search. I can think of a certain Tenth Seat who'd probably be up for it."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "You mean Shisui?"

"Yup," Kisuke replied, "We're not blind; Yoruichi and I know that he's been looking around the Rukon District in his off hours when he's not training. You two are both from the same Realm of the Living, so the odds are good that what you and he are searching for is related. He's not the only one that might be willing to help, either."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Are you offering to search the Rukon District too? I'd certainly take all the help that I can get, but what exactly is in it for you?"

"Call it satisfying my curiosity," said Kisuke with a smirk, "The Shinobi World doesn't get much attention from the Soul Society and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but that doesn't mean we've been ignoring it entirely. I've heard of the 'Ninja Arts' that your Realm of the Living utilizes… and I also know that you've been trying to recreate them through spirit energy manipulation in the place of chakra."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Can't get anything past you, huh?"

Kisuke smiled. "Well, it's not like our little journey has offered you much private space to practice. Everyone here has sensed your spirit energy fluctuating, and I'm assuming that's because of your training efforts."

Jiraiya nodded. "Yup. It hasn't been easy, but I feel like I'm making progress."

"I bet," said Kisuke as he folded his arms, "Why don't you show me?"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Right now? I know this isn't exactly a battlefield, but it _is_ still an area of operation. I'm all for a little fun, but missions should be taken seriously."

"The mission began the moment we left the Seireitei," Kisuke pointed out, "So, if you think about it, each time we've stopped to rest and you've practiced that technique you've done so in an area of operation."

"I guess you got me there," Jiraiya conceded, "Well, if you really want to see it, then who am I to say no?"

He sat down and held out his hands like he'd done so many times in the past. He was only focusing on gathering and manipulating his spirit energy, but even so he could feel Kisuke's gaze locked onto him like a hawk and studying every minute detail. Jiraiya was impressed; despite the Third Seat's laid-back demeanor, when he focused on something he didn't mess around.

Just like the times he'd practiced on the road, bringing together the spirit energy was one thing; containment was another. That familiar swirling blue-white ball of power coalesced in his hands, but Jiraiya knew it wasn't in its final form just yet. The fact that he had an audience meant nothing to him; his concentration was solely on the power he held and maintaining control over it.

 _Just a little more…_

A few seconds later, he determined that it was time to make his gamble. He cautiously removed his left hand from the top of the sphere of energy, holding it only in his right hand.

And this time it didn't explode.

Jiraiya grinned triumphantly as he stood up and held out the ball of whirling energy that was the Rasengan. "Well, what do you know? I finally got it!"

Kisuke applauded. "Nice! That was pretty impressive!"

"Thanks," Jiraiya replied, "I've been trying to pull this off for quite a while now."

Kisuke smirked. "Well, in that case, why don't you show me what it can actually do?"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as he looked around the chamber. "Really? Right here? I'm not exactly seeing any targets unless you want me to trash one of the walls with it."

Kisuke shook his head and patted his chest. "Nope. Hit me right here. Don't hold back."

The Third Seat seemed confident enough, but Jiraiya hesitated; he knew the kind of damage this technique could do. "Look, I'm sure you're tough, but I don't think you realize what you're asking for."

Kisuke chuckled. "Really? Well, I could say you're wrong, but it'd be easier to show you. Come on, hit me."

There was a cool layer of certainty behind Kisuke's casual demeanor that made Jiraiya suspect that he could back up his words. "All right, then. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

He lunged forward, his body moving into those old instinctive patterns from his days as a Shinobi. His right hand went straight for Kisuke's chest, and the Rasengan hit him dead-center. The ball of concentrated spirit energy slammed the Third Seat back into the wall before it burst, and the entire chamber shuddered from the force of the impact.

 _Did I overdo it?_

He got his answer a moment later when he saw Kisuke rise and dust himself off. There was some mild bruising on his chest and his robes had a few tears in them, but apart from that he looked little worse for the wear. Jiraiya was momentarily caught off guard before he realized what Kisuke had done.

"I'll be damned," he said, "You increased your output of spiritual pressure just before the impact."

Kisuke nodded. "Bingo. I could've avoided taking damage altogether, but I wanted to at least get a taste as to the kind of power you were packing there. I must say, that's a very impressive technique. A nice substitute should you ever be deprived of your Zanpakutō, and if you become proficient at wielding the blade singlehandedly then I can even see you utilizing the technique with your free hand once your control over your spirit energy reaches a sufficiently advanced stage. As it is, I'd say you're pretty far along, especially considering that you're still in the Academy."

Jiraiya smiled. "Thanks. This is just a small portion of what I was capable of back when I was alive. I still have a long way to go in order to restore my strength… although, since I'm also training to use Soul Reaper powers, I could eventually become stronger than I was in my first life."

"Indeed," said Kisuke, "Don't lose that drive for self-improvement. I can already tell that you've got a lot of latent power. I bet you were really something when it was chakra that fueled you instead of spirit energy."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Well, chakra was what I was used to. Technically, spirit energy is part of what makes up chakra, although now that I'm a soul that's the primary fuel for my strength instead of the mix of spirit and life energy. Even then, this form of spirit energy feels different than the kind that goes into chakra. It's… well, it's hard to really put it into words."

Kisuke nodded. "I understand. Even after years of wielding spirit energy, it can oftentimes be difficult to properly express what it means to manipulate it. Each person's spiritual pressure has a different feel to it, both to themselves and to those around them. It can take quite some time before one's able to properly articulate how they sense and control it."

"I can see that," said Jiraiya.

Kisuke gestured back at the half-emptied sarcophagus that was before them. "Well, as much as I'd like to continue this enlightening chat of ours, we do still have a mission to carry out here. There are plenty of pieces left to catalogue, and we are trying to keep to a schedule."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Right. Well, I guess we should get back to work."

….

As the whirlwind that had temporarily engulfed her died down, Visaelya saw Shisui smile approvingly at her. "Well done."

She tried and failed to suppress a blush. "Thank you."

Looking down at the blade in her hands, Visaelya allowed herself a confident smile. The weapon was a curved sword, with the blade about as long as her arm. Its arc was more prominent than that of a Zanpakutō, and glowing violet runes adorned both sides of the blade. Gems of amethyst were embedded in the silver handle, and the power that emanated from them had lent the whirlwind generated by the weapon earlier a purple hue.

She's seen Spirit Weapons before at the Drakken estate in the Seireitei, but this was the first time that she'd been allowed to hold one that would challenge her. There had been a moment of doubt, but under Shisui's encouraging gaze she'd mustered the strength to meet the sword's challenge and prove herself its equal. Now the surge of power that she'd felt before was stabilizing and allowing itself to be bent to her will.

"That's a beautiful piece," said Shisui, "It's almost a shame that we're just going to lock it up again once we get back to the Seireitei."

"That's true," Visaelya admitted, "However, that's also our mission. Whether we like it or not, we must carry it out."

Shisui nodded. "Yes. You might still be a student, but your mindset is already that of a Soul Reaper."

Visaelya shook her head as she set the weapon down in the slowly growing pile of swords. "I still have much to learn."

Shisui chuckled. "True enough. Still, you're further along than most. Why do you think we invited you to come along with us on this mission?"

"I thought it was because I had some knowledge regarding the old kingdom," said Visaelya, "I mean, I _was_ the one that the Captains asked to provide an account of it to Itachi and Jiraiya, after all."

Shisui nodded. "Your knowledge was certainly part of it, but it was also because of how your skills have grown over the years. Your abilities have become sharper, and your mentality is also becoming more accustomed to the role that you will eventually assume."

She smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot coming from a Soul Reaper as accomplished as yourself."

Shisui chuckled. "I think you're giving me a little too much credit there."

Visaelya shook her head. "With all due respect, you're wrong. To have climbed the ranks to Tenth Seat of Squad Two so quickly speaks volumes as to your abilities. You were also able to singlehandedly clear this entire barrow of traps before the rest of us entered. I could _feel_ the power that was being unleashed as you did your work even though I was outside the tomb. The defenses that you overpowered were incredible."

Shisui smiled. "Well, I've always been quick on my feet. I've got sharp eyes, too, so that job was one that I was well suited for."

"Captain Shihōin must think very highly of you if she entrusted you with such a dangerous task," she said.

"The Captain has a good eye for the strengths and weaknesses of her subordinates," Shisui replied, "She never asks us to do something that's beyond the scope of our abilities, and she doesn't have us take risks that she'd be unwilling to take herself should the need arise. It's part of what makes her such a good commander."

"I see…" said Visaelya, her mind trailing off as she considered the Captain from her family.

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?"

Visaelya sighed. "It's my uncle."

"Uncle? You mean Captain Rhaegon Drakken?" he asked.

Visaelya nodded. "Yes. Growing up, I thought the world of him. I believed that he was the greatest Captain in the history of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Now that I've had exposure to him and other Captains in the line of duty, though… I'm not so sure. I still believe in his abilities, but… when I compare my past interactions with him to those I've had with Captain Shihōin, I cannot help but notice some… _flaws_."

Shisui gave her an understanding smile. "No Captain's perfect… even the ones that we idolize. It takes a great deal of maturity to recognize that."

Visaelya shook her head. "I should've recognized it sooner. The pride, that subtle sense of superiority… they're endemic to my family. That includes myself; during my early years in the Academy, I was so full of myself and the Drakken Clan that I was completely thrown for a loop when I found students that could actually compete with and surpass me. Since then I've been trying to reevaluate my place in the Soul Society and the role that I'll eventually assume. It… it hasn't been easy."

"Trying to reconcile personal ambitions and desires with those of your family rarely is," said Shisui, "Especially when your family's a powerful one."

There was something in his tone that gave Visaelya pause; it felt like he was speaking from experience. "The Uchiha Clan… forgive me for prying, but… was yours a prominent one when… well…"

"When Itachi and I were alive?" he asked.

Visaelya looked down in shame; there she was, trampling all over that taboo again. "I'm sorry. Forget I asked."

She was surprised to actually feel his hand on her left shoulder. When she looked up, she saw that he was smiling again.

"It's all right, really," he said, "I don't mind you asking about it. I know Soul Society nobles have some big social deals about it being improper to inquire into the past lives of people like Itachi and I, but it doesn't bother me."

She felt a huge weight slip from her chest; Shisui had a way of calming her down. "If it's really all right with you, then... could you please tell me? About your family, I mean."

"Sure," he said, "We're still on the job, but I can at least give you the short version."

Visaelya smiled. "I'd be happy with that."

"To keep things simple, yes, we were a prominent clan," said Shisui, "In the land that we were from, the Uchiha Clan held power over what we called the Military Police Force. In essence, we were a major part of the internal security apparatus. I suppose in that sense we weren't all that different from the Stealth Force under Captain Shihōin."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Were you a member of this Military Police Force?"

"Not directly," said Shisui, "but seeing as their workings were so intertwined with those of the Uchiha Clan, they did attempt to exert some influence over me. They certainly _wanted_ me to join their ranks, but it didn't work out."

"Why didn't you if your clan played such a prominent role in the organization?" asked Visaelya.

Shisui sighed. "It's… complicated. I don't want to lie to you, but at the same time… well, it's not exactly a fond memory, to put it mildly."

Visaelya bowed. "If you don't wish to share it, I'll understand completely."

Shisui shook his head. "Someday I might give you the full version. For now… well, let's just say that we had a severe difference in opinion and philosophy. They wanted me to be what I could not… and perform actions that would ultimately have brought our land to civil war. Itachi faced the same situation. The choices we were forced to make ultimately went against our clan, but only because the two of us decided to serve a higher purpose; peace in both our homeland and the world over our family's pride."

Visaelya's eyes widened. "The stakes were really that high?"

Shisui nodded. "Oh, yes. Believe me, I wish it were otherwise. Itachi and I made the decision to put the safety of the many over the ambitions of our clan. They were our kin; the last thing we wanted was to turn against them. In the end, though… they were too far gone. Old grudges, slights built up over generations, dreams of power and glory continually stifled… the accumulated hatred became overwhelming. Our clan did have some valid points, but what they were prepared to do in the name of finding redress for those grievances was nothing short of treason. Far from being the upholders of law and order in our community; they were prepared to usurp both in the name of payback and power."

She realized that he'd begun clenching his fists as his story went on. Visaelya was so used to him being easy-going and bright that this dark tale and the underlying sorrow caught her completely by surprise.

 _I've gone too far_ , she thought, _I never should've asked him to relive something like this. Whatever he was forced to do in order to thwart his clan's ambitions, I have no right to pry into it if it's scarred him so deeply._

She stepped forward and, after a moment of hesitation, placed her hand on his shoulder. He stiffened ever so slightly at the gesture, but he seemed more surprised by it than hostile towards it.

"Tenth Seat Uchiha…. no… Shisui," she said, "You need not go further. I was out of line in asking you to bring up what you went through in your past life. Please, forgive me."

After a moment he gave her a smile. "Hey, you've got nothing to apologize for. I was the only that agreed to tell you about my family, remember?"

"Perhaps," she said, "but had I known it would be a topic of such gravity and discomfort I would never have broached it."

Shisui shook his head. "Still, you don't need to say your sorry. Why don't we just drop it for now, all right? I don't mind going into further detail with you at a later date, but for now we really ought to be getting back to the mission at hand."

Visaelya nodded. "I concur. Before we do so, though, there is something that I must have your opinion on. It concerns my family… and how I should handle my ties with them going forward."

"I'll do what I can, but I might not be of much help," said Shisui, "Our respective situations aren't completely the same, after all. My input might not really be suited to your specific circumstances."

"I understand, but I would appreciate it just the same," Visaelya replied, "Members of the Drakken Clan that go through Shin'ō Academy are expected to enroll in Squad Ten upon graduation. That's how it's been since the foundation of the Academy and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. No member of the clan has ever deviated from that path."

Shisui gave her a knowing smirk. "Let me guess; you were considering becoming the first? Rather bold of you. I like it."

Visaelya flushed with embarrassment. "Well, it's… it's not like I've actually made up my mind yet. When I began my training at the Academy, I thought that I would go down the traditional Drakken path. However, over the past year or so I've been contemplating… alternatives."

"There's nothing wrong with that," said Shisui, "although I am curious as to what brought it on. Anything in particular come to mind?"

It was more like _someone_ , but of course Visaelya wouldn't dare say as much, especially when the person in question was standing right in front of her. She struggled for a moment to come up with something that sounded proper, and she could only hope that Shisui didn't notice her attempt to mask her true intentions.

"Well… I suppose my recent field experience has broadened my perspective," she said, and it wasn't exactly a lie, "My whole life before now, I believed that I was destined for Squad Ten, but now that I've had a chance to give practical application to my skills… I've been wondering if another division might actually be a better fit. I want to put my abilities to the test, and I want to become known for _them_ rather than just my family name."

Shisui seemed willing enough to roll with that, for which she was quite grateful. "I get it. Truth be told, you wouldn't be in the wrong if you _did_ decide to follow your clan's traditional path. It's true that Captain Drakken's definitely got a chip on his shoulder, but he's still a good leader. His division looks up to him, he's charismatic, and he's good in a fight. He runs Squad Ten well, and they've got a good field record as a result. He can be a bit overbearing though, not to mention he tends to suck up all the oxygen in whatever room he's in. Any Captain worthy of the title needs to carry themselves with a certain gravitas, but a few do let it go to their heads sometimes, and Rhaegon's definitely one of them. You'd probably get a decent starting post in his division, but I'm not going to lie; you'd owe that at least in part to the fact that the two of you are family. If you want to be recognized for your skills rather than your name, Squad Ten's not the way to go."

Visaelya nodded. "I thought as much. I actually had another division in mind, although… well, it'd be a rather radical departure from tradition for a member of my clan."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Which one did you have in mind?"

She tried and utterly failed to keep from blushing as she met his gaze. "Squad Two."

She was surprised by the slightly mischievous smile he gave her. "So, instead of the family division, you go for the one that's run by your clan's most prominent rival? Bold move. You'd really send a statement with that."

"The animosity between the Drakken and Shihōin Clans isn't as bad as most people believe!" Visaelya hastily countered, "We've always been competitors, but never direct enemies."

Shisui nodded. "I know. Still, it's surprising. You're going to raise a lot of eyebrows if you go down this path."

"Perhaps so," Visaelya conceded, "Still, I've given it considerable thought. Captain Shihōin may be from a rival house, but in my experience with her she doesn't seem to have held that against me. If that were the case, I do not believe that she would've chosen me as one of the students to come on this mission. She's given me the chance to stand on my own merits; I've gained a real opportunity to prove myself, something I'm not sure I would've gotten with another Captain given my family name."

"Some might've granted you the opportunity eventually," said Shisui, "Still, you've got a point. Our Captain's keen on letting our skills speak for us. She's fully aware of your family name and all the potential complications that entails, but at the same time she's not the type that'll let that cloud her judgment when it comes to evaluating your abilities. At the same time, though, she's not above taking advantage of some of the perks that come with you being a fellow member of the nobility. Take your knowledge of the old kingdom; it's far more comprehensive that what would be expected of most Academy students, even those in the advanced track. You wouldn't have gotten that without the private tutors of House Drakken, something that she's well aware of. That knowledge base is part of why you were selected to join this mission."

"I understand that," Visaelya replied, "However, I believe she's also aware of the fact that my family could've used this mission as an opportunity for me to spy on the heiress to their rival clan. She had to have known of that risk, yet she chose me anyway. As a result, I've gained fresh chances for learning that I wouldn't have gotten at the Academy. That alone makes Squad Two worthy of my consideration. There's also the fact that in addition to hunting Hollows like other divisions it is charged in coordination with the Stealth Force the task of maintain order and security within the Seireitei."

Shisui shrugged. "That's more the Stealth Force than Squad Two, although we do help with internal policing when we're not on field assignments. Since we both fall under the Captain's command there can be a considerable degree of overlap if she deems it necessary. There's also the fact that Squad Two's senior officers also have leading positions in the Stealth Force. If you climb high enough in the ranks you can find yourself with some very _interesting_ responsibilities."

Visaelya was intrigued. "So… what sort of responsibilities do you have as the Tenth Seat?"

Shisui gave her a wicked grin. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"Surely you jest?" said Visaelya, only halfway believing that was indeed the case.

Shisui chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm kidding. To be honest, my duties aren't really that different from most mid-rank officers. I lead teams, conduct reconnaissance, hunt Hollows and more. If I'm ever assigned to help out the Stealth Force it's usually just to aid in security, hunt down the occasional criminal or engage in a bit of espionage. Standard fare for Squad Two, really."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Do you think I would have the aptitude required for the duties of Squad Two?"

"Sure," Shisui replied, "You still need some training, of course, but your grasp of the basics seems sound enough. You've got solid abilities and a good head on your shoulders, so you can't ask for a better foundation. Over time you'd need to learn the subtler bits of our particular craft; subterfuge, concealment, infiltration, swift movement while avoiding detection, and more. It's much more advanced than that stuff they typically cover at the Academy, but if you join our ranks you'll get plenty of practice."

Visaelya smiled; she couldn't have asked for a better answer. "I understand. If that is indeed the case, then I think I have a much better idea as to how I want to proceed moving forward."

"That's good," said Shisui, "Still, it's not a decision that you should rush. You've got a year left at the Academy, after all. You should really take advantage of the time you have available to carefully think through what you want to do. Students in the advanced track are typically given considerably greater post-graduation options than those in the standard curriculum, so it likely won't just be between Squad Two and Squad Ten that you'll have to pick from. Don't be hasty with this. It's true that you can transfer between divisions, and it's not uncommon for Soul Reapers to move around quite a bit before finally settling down in a particular unit, but the one you join first can still have a major impact on your future career."

Visaelya nodded. "Of course. I'll give it the utmost consideration that it's worthy of."

Shisui smiled. "Glad to hear it. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping that you'd join us, but this is about you. Don't let anyone pressure you, and that includes your family. Have the strength and courage of your convictions to do what feels right to you, and you won't regret the path you go down."

Visaelya bowed. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Tenth Seat… I mean, Shisui."

He grinned. "Anytime."

….

 **Three days later…**

"Is that the last of them?" asked Yoruichi.

Kisuke nodded as he finished securing the final bundle of Spirit Weapons and Armor. "Yup. We wound up with a pretty good haul."

Yoruichi certainly couldn't argue with that. After thoroughly cataloguing everything they'd found in the tomb, they'd set about preparing the assorted artifacts for transportation. With no beasts of burden accompanying them, Yoruichi and Kirio had opted to divide the artifacts up amongst everyone present and bundle those of similar make in order to transport them. It had taken some doing, but now they were finally ready to leave.

She smiled as she watched Itachi, Jiraiya and Visaelya help the members of Squads Two and Twelve finish cleaning up their encampment. They might still be students, but there was no denying that they had more than pulled their own weight over the course of the mission. There wasn't a bad one in the bunch, and it almost felt like a waste to simply return them to the Academy; as far as Yoruichi was concerned, the three of them were more than ready for active duty by now.

Kisuke smirked, and it felt as if he was reading her mind. "They did pretty well. Bringing them along was definitely the right call."

Yoruichi nodded. "Glad we agree on that."

There was a flicker on the wind before Soi-Fon appeared in front of her. "Lady Yoruichi, I've completed my reconnaissance. The path out of the ravine is mostly clear. There are some points that have grown narrower due to the buildup of snow, but it's nothing that we can't work our way past."

"Good work," she said, "I want you to go find Shisui. Tell him that he's on point for the first leg of our trip back, all right?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "Understood."

She went off in search of Squad Two's Tenth Seat and was replaced a moment later by Squad Twelve's Captain. Kirio looked quite pleased with herself, and it wasn't hard for Yoruichi to guess why. Although the mission had been a joint effort, since Squad Twelve would be charged with studying and then safely storing the Spirit Weapons and Armor they'd collected today it was her unit that would gain the greater prestige. Yoruichi didn't mind; Squad Two had come along as guardians, scouts, and support. They weren't out here for glory, but to do their duty. Besides, Squad Two had more than its share of accomplishments and accolades; Yoruichi felt no need to compete with Kirio on that account.

 _We'll still have to keep our guard up on the way back_ , she thought, _but we should be all right. Upon our return, it's back to business as usual._

It had been great to get away from the heart of the Soul Society for a while. Yoruichi always found it refreshing to be out in The Wild for missions; it truly felt like a breath of clean air, plus the change in scenery was always pleasant. However, it would also feel good to return to the Seireitei, plus there was the fact that she couldn't leave her Lieutenant in charge of the division forever. After all, knowing Ōmaeda, that kind of authority could all too easily go to his head.

"Well, now," said Kirio, "This has been a wonderful operation! Yoruichi, I can't thank you enough for all the help that Squad Two has provided."

Yoruichi grinned. "Don't mention it. That being said, you should probably save the gratitude until we're back inside the Seireitei."

"Oh, don't worry," Kirio replied, "I've no intention of dropping my guard in the home stretch. Come on, Yoruichi; you know me better than that."

Yoruichi nodded, her eyes once again on the three students. "You're right."

Kirio gave her a sly smile as she followed her gaze. "Those three are really something, hm? Especially Itachi."

Yoruichi wouldn't argue with that. "Oh, _yes._ "

"A year left until graduation," Kirio mused aloud, "The recruitment exhibition at the Academy should be quite the spectacle when the day finally comes."

Yoruichi giggled. "I have no doubt of that. Itachi's going to be at the heart of the competition, and I don't plan on losing."

Kirio folded her arms and winked. "Well, you've certainly got a head start with him, but you'd better stay on your toes. I'm not going to go down without a fight, and you can bet more than a few other Captains also have their eyes on him."

Yoruichi grinned as she locked onto the raven-haired young man at the heart of the conversation. "Bring it on."

 **Author's Notes:** Well, I'm sure that was a lot to chew on. The next chapter shouldn't be quite so bulky, although seeing as I have a reputation for large chapters thanks to my other fics I make no promises.

With regards to the Great Noble House that dominates the north, 'Starmont' is actually a portmanteau of two prominent northern houses from the 'A Song Of Ice And Fire' series; House Stark and House Mormont. The most notable member of this final Great Noble House will actually be introduced in the next chapter. He's one of the Captains, although you'll have to wait until next time to find out what division he commands.

With regards to the lost kingdom of Nur-Andunaya, the inspiration for both the realm and fictional language was a powerful nation from the second major fantasy series that's influencing this story; Númenor, the once-mighty island kingdom of the Dúnedain from Tolkien's legendarium. The parallels were quite deliberate. The tragic tale of Númenor's rise and fall won't be the last time that Tolkien's wonderous world of Middle-Earth plays a significant influence in this story and my version of the Soul Society.

Well, the story's moving forward, and the next chapter will deal with the Academy finals and the 'recruitment exhibition' that Kirio mentioned at the end there. Itachi and Jiraiya will finally graduate and officially join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and their adventure will enter its next phase.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Notes:** Hello there! I think it's been long enough since I last posted a chapter, so here's the next one. Yes, it's long. Are you really surprised? It's my style, after all, and spoiler alert; it's not changing anytime soon.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Eleven: Finals, Recruitment and Graduation**

 **144 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town**

"Again!" barked the spirit of Itachi's Zanpakutō.

 _She's truly relentless today_ , thought Itachi as he raised his sword once more, _I suppose I shouldn't complain, though; it's not like I can get a match like this at the Academy anymore. Well, apart from sparring with Jiraiya, that is. Visaelya's coming along well, but she still has quite some way to go._

In the lead-up to the Academy finals, the spirit of his Zanpakutō had insisted on putting Itachi through his paces. It was not enough for him to simply ace the Zanjutsu portion of the tests; she wanted him to demonstrate the kind of mastery that not even the instructors at the Academy could match. While Itachi was all for pushing his skills to new heights, he wondered if this was really his Zanpakutō moving to demonstrate who his _real_ teacher in the art of the sword was. An assertion of dominance over the Academy instructors, even if it was only through using Itachi as a proxy, wasn't something that he would put past her.

Save for an increase in the brightness of the crimson light of the moon and stars, his inner world had changed very little over the past year. As he crossed swords with the spirit of his Zanpakutō once again, Itachi supposed that it would not evolve much further at this point until he unlocked his Shikai. He hardy had time to admire the scenery at the moment, though; he knew full well the toll his sparring partner would extract from him should he allow himself to be distracted.

A devilishly quick thrust was her opening move. With instincts honed from countless matches with her, Itachi was able to catch the blow and redirect it before smoothly transitioning into a counterattack. Pivoting on his left foot, he spun to add centrifugal force to the blow as he unleashed a powerful horizontal slash. Of course, his foe was ready for it. A simple alteration in the angle of her blade was all she needed to deflect his attack and bleed off most of the strength behind it before countering with a sequence of swift cuts and slashes that put Itachi on the defensive.

She smiled as Itachi's blade danced through the air and parried her strikes. "You're in top form today. Most impressive."

Itachi nodded in acknowledgment. "Thanks."

It was high praise, coming from her, but Itachi knew better than to let it go to his head. It was more than just a compliment; it was a probe, a way for her to determine if flattery could weaken his defenses enough for her to slip an attack through. Itachi wasn't about to let her score a win so easily.

Deflecting a downward diagonal slash from his foe, Itachi immediately countered and went on the offensive. Striking high and low and from every possible angle, he drove his opponent back across the cobblestone walkway of his inner world. Brilliant crimson moonlight was reflected off his dancing blade while the song of clashing swords rang out in a cacophonous symphony.

The spirit of his Zanpakutō smirked as he pressed his assault. "My, my… such vigor, even after all the matches we've already had today. Despite your cool demeanor, you're quite _passionate_ when the occasion calls for it. I wonder if _she_ sees that in you as well."

"Who are you referring to?" asked Itachi as an image of Yoruichi unconsciously flashed through his mind.

His sparring partner shook her head as she parried his strikes. "Still not as bright as she thinks you are, though. What a shame."

She didn't offer any clarification, which Itachi had come to expect at this point. Instead she picked up the pace of the duel, redirecting a thrust aimed at her abdomen before countering with a horizontal slash. Itachi was able to deflect the blow, but in doing so he ceded the initiative to his opponent. She drove him hard, hammering his defenses with a rain of quick and powerful blows.

Itachi fell back, focusing on preserving his energy through deflections and parries as he waited for an opening to counterattack. It was no easy task; the spirit of his Zanpakutō was clearly pulling out all the stops in the run-up to the Academy finals. Her assault was as furious as it was unrelenting, and each blow was fierce and swift.

She was powerful, but she wasn't invincible; years of sparring with her had given Itachi plenty of insight into her moves. He could beat her now, but that was by no means an easy feat. It required cunning, endurance, and most importantly of all, _patience_. Fortunately for him, he'd had plenty of time to develop all three.

The trick was making the most of them. She never handed him a win out of charity; she made him fight tooth and nail just for a draw, let alone a victory. Her level of skill was phenomenal, and it had taken Itachi a long time to get to the point where he could truly match her in terms of technique, but years of fending off her withering assaults had honed his abilities to such a sharp edge that he was capable of taking advantage of the very few openings that he could find in her form.

He remained on the defensive, waiting for one of those openings to reveal themselves. She came at him hard and fast, with each strike as brutal as it was graceful. Her crimson eyes were sharper than her blade, ever alert for even the slightest hint of weakness. It was not just a contest of swordsmanship that the two of them were locked in; it was a battle of wills.

It was several minutes before he finally found the opportunity he'd been waiting for. At the end of a series of rapid thrusts, she overextended by barely more than a centimeter. It was the tiniest of windows, but Itachi seized it immediately. Angling his blade towards the ground, he redirected her blow and swiftly transitioned into a counter attack, bringing his sword up in a lighting quick slash. She attempted to block it, but she wasn't able to reposition her blade in time, and the edge of Itachi's sword came to a halt just a hair's width over her neck.

"Match," Itachi declared in cool triumph.

She smiled and nodded before her blade vanished in a pillar of black flame. "Indeed. Well done, Itachi."

He lowered and sheathed his sword. "Is that the last round for today?"

"Our last round until your finals are complete," she answered, "Your swordsmanship stands leagues beyond any of your classmates, with the possible exception of Jiraiya. Show the same dedication and skill in your Zanjutsu examination as you do in our sparring matches, and I have no doubt that you will pass with flying colors. For now, I would advise that you devote the study time remaining to the other aspects of your Soul Reaper training."

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then. Thank you."

"Of course," she replied, "I would be remiss if I did not do all that I could to ensure the progression of your abilities. You're nothing short of remarkable, Itachi; the faith that Squad Two's Captain has placed in you is well-founded."

Itachi couldn't help but give a small smile; it was rare indeed for her to be so effusive in her praise. "I'm glad to hear that."

The spirit of his Zanpakutō smiled. "Show them all the fruits of your education, Itachi. Show them that Shisui isn't the only Uchiha in the Soul Society that belongs in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

….

Rolling to the side, Jiraiya was barely able to avoid the powerful blow that the spirit of his Zanpakutō had unleashed. The heavy spiked club slammed into the part of the platform he had occupied just a split-second ago, and the sheer strength behind the strike left a considerable impact crater.

 _That would've hurt if I'd taken that head-on_ , he thought, _He's really not messing around today!_

Of course, it wasn't like the spirit of his Zanpakutō ever really messed around at all. It just wasn't in the armored toad's nature. Not for the first time, Jiraiya found himself wondering just how he'd gotten stuck with such a no-nonsense sword spirit. The closest the toad ever came to loosening up was the occasional quip at Jiraiya's expense.

Having evaded what could've been a match-ending blow, Jiraiya swiftly moved to counter. He managed to land a glancing blow on the armored toad's left shoulder, but it wasn't nearly enough to break through the plating. It certainly wasn't enough to get his sparring partner to concede the match; Jiraiya typically had to land a much more solid hit before the spirit of his Zanpakutō would grant him the win.

Fortunately, Jiraiya had developed his skills to the point that he was now more than capable of landing the victorious blow on his foe. Shifting to a single-handed grip with his right hand, he began gathering energy in his left while dodging strikes from his opponent. What had been so difficult to accomplish with spirit energy a year ago now came to him much more naturally; the signature swirling blue sphere of power that was the Rasengan formed and stabilized in his palm within just a few moments.

Weaving back and forth, rolling and ducking beneath the swings of the armored toad's spiked club, Jiraiya waited for the chance to strike. His foe was pressing harder now, and for good reason; the spirit of his Zanpakutō had been on the receiving end of the Rasengan quite a few times now over the past year. Jiraiya forming the blue ball of spirit energy now was his signal that he intended to bring the match to a close, so his opponent was redoubling their efforts in an attempt to seize the mantle of victory.

His foe was strong, but they weren't as quick as Jiraiya. Sidestepping a powerful overhand blow that wound up taking a serious chunk out of the platform they were fighting on, the Legendary Sannin charged forward and made his decisive strike. The spirit of his Zanpakutō could see what was coming but wasn't fast enough to block or dodge, and Jiraiya thrust out his left hand. The Rasengan slammed into his opponent's chest and sent the armored toad flying off the stone platform and into the water with a resounding splash.

Jiraiya grinned and pumped his fist into the air in triumph. "Yes! Ring out!"

His opponent hopped out of the water a moment later and landed on the platform with a heavy 'thud'. Jiraiya thought for a moment that his foe was about to start a fresh round, but after a moment the spirit of his Zanpakutō sat down in front of him in a meditative posture.

"Well done," the armored toad said, "Your abilities have progressed remarkably. You should be able to suitably awe your instructors in the Academy finals."

Jiraiya chuckled. "You know, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me! Are you going soft on me?"

"I do not give out such praise often because I do not wish for it to go to your head," the spirit of his Zanpakutō replied, "Besides, there are still plenty of areas that you could better yourself in, and you would have much more time to do so if you would cease peddling adolescent trash to the masses."

Jiraiya smirked. "Sounds like you're jealous of my success as a writer! You wishing you had my literary talent?"

The armored toad scoffed. "Hardly. It's a needless distraction. You should cast it aside so that you will be able to devote greater efforts to your training."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "Hey, I balanced the writer and ninja gigs pretty well back when I was alive. There's no reason I can't do the same in the Soul Society. Besides, the student allowances from the Academy aren't nearly enough to have any fun on; I would've died of boredom without the extra income!"

The spirit of his Zanpakutō rolled his eyes. "Pointless frivolities."

Jiraiya sighed. "I swear, you _really_ need to learn how to lighten up."

The armored toad ignored him. "You may put our training sessions on hold until your finals are complete, but do not neglect your studies. Should you underperform in your evaluations, you will find our next sparring match to be a much more punishing experience than the previous ones."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll catch you later, big guy."

….

 **One week later…**

Acting as the referee for this particular match, Jiraiya stood between Itachi and Visaelya with his right arm raised. "All right, ready? Three… two… one… begin!"

Visaelya lunged forward, trying to take her opponent by surprise with a swift uppercut right off the bat. As usual, Itachi seemed to have seen it coming, because he immediately rolled to the right; her punch hit nothing but air. Itachi swiftly move to counter, making a sweeping kick meant to knock Visaelya's legs right out from under her.

He'd pulled that move on her before, and this time she was ready for it. She back flipped to evade the kick and give herself some space to regroup. As soon as she landed Itachi advanced on her, but her arms were already up in a guard position. She blocked and dodged as he attacked her, throwing a variety of punches and kicks her way. His strikes were as quick as they were precise, but Visaelya had sparred with him long enough now that she had a pretty good handle on his fighting style.

Ducking beneath a right hook, she countered with a high kick. Itachi blocked the blow on his arm, but it still gave Visaelya enough of an opening to take the initiative. She pressed hard, giving her strikes as much variety as possible in order to keep him off balance. Whether or not she was actually succeeding in that was difficult to determine; as always, her friendly rival was damn hard to read.

Despite her best efforts, though, her opponent still found a way to decisively turn the tables on her. She kicked at his abdomen, only for Itachi to catch her leg mid-strike. His grip on it was solid, and he was able to flip her over and put her on the floor a moment later. Visaelya sighed and tapped out; she knew when she was beat.

"Damn it," she hissed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," said Itachi, "You did quite well."

Jiraiya smiled. "No kidding. If you were in the Shinobi World, you'd be towards the top of your class in taijutsu. Your skills have come a long way!"

"He's right," said a third male voice. "You made a good showing for yourself, Visaelya."

This one was also familiar, and Visaelya blushed when she realized who it was. Turning around, she saw none other than Shisui leaning against the nearby wall and smiling at her.

Jiraiya grinned. "How's it going, Shisui?"

He nodded. "Not too bad, thanks for asking."

"When did you get here?" asked Visaelya.

"Just after you and Itachi started your match," he replied, "This is an open area, and it's not like I'm barred from visiting the Academy."

That was true enough. They were in the training yard behind the dorms getting in some last-minute practice before the Academy finals commenced. Visaelya knew that as a seated officer Shisui had full access to the Academy grounds, but it was still odd to her that he would come and visit like this. Not that she was complaining, of course; she was always happy to see him, although she would've preferred that he see her in a more dignified position. Being sprawled out on the ground after suffering yet another defeat at Itachi's hands was not the sort of image she wanted to serve as an impression.

"Right," she said as Itachi helped her to her feet, "Forgive me if this sounds rude, but why did you come here? It's a pleasure to see you again, but as an officer in Squad Two, don't you have important duties to attend to?"

Shisui smiled. "It's true that the Captain keeps me busy, but she also understands the value of allowing her subordinates some free time. I finished up my assigned duties early for the day, and she let me come over to visit. Finals week starts tomorrow, after all, so I wanted to see how you all were doing."

The Shin'ō Academy final exams were the grueling culmination of their six-year curriculum. They were hard enough for the regular students, but for those in the advanced track they were even more difficult due to the additional material they had to study along with the higher standards that they were held to. The first three days of the school week would be devoted to academic testing, while the last two would be the practical tests. Hohō and Kidō testing would take place one day, while Hakuda and Zanjutsu testing were scheduled for the last day. It was a daunting gauntlet, and Visaelya had done all she could to prepare for it.

"At this point, I think we're about as ready as we're going to be," she said.

Itachi nodded. "Agreed."

Jiraiya smiled. "I never was one for formal testing back in my Shinobi days, but I'm actually looking forward to this. From the way our instructors have hyped it up, it sounds like it'll be a fun challenge!"

Shisui laughed. "Well, if that's the case, you won't be disappointed! I was in the advanced track too when finals week came around, and they didn't pull their punches. I hope you've been hitting the books as hard as you've been hitting each other in training."

"Do you have any last-minute advice?" asked Visaelya.

Shisui smiled. "Believe in yourself. The tests are daunting, and the instructors designed them to make even the brightest students doubt themselves. Just remember how far you've come over the past six years. You three have worked hard and have earned your places at the top of the student rankings. You can do this."

Visaelya nodded and smiled; his confidence was encouraging. "Thank you, Tenth Seat… I mean, Shisui."

"Anytime," he replied, "I suggest you all get a good night's rest. Trust me; you're going to need it."

….

 **Four days later…**

Jiraiya grinned in satisfaction as he looked downrange; his target had been completely destroyed. He wasn't so much as sweating even though they were pretty far along in the practical Kidō examinations now, which was more than could be said for most of his classmates. It was fortunate that they'd been given a substantial break between the Hohō test and the Kidō examination; otherwise he was sure that several of his fellow students would've collapsed by now in fatigue.

 _These tests are no joke_ , he thought, _I don't remember the Shinobi Academy exams being quite so rigorous…_

Truth be told, even if the practical exams that the advanced track students had to take were grueling, Jiraiya was feeling much better about them than he had about the written tests of the past three days. He'd studied his rear off, and Itachi had been a valuable partner in that regard, but there had been a _ton_ of material to cover. The practical exams may have been no less comprehensive than the written ones, but Jiraiya was still much more comfortable with them because they involved the physical application of all that he had learned, something he was much more at ease with than the purely academic portion of the finals.

It was in the practical exams that the fruits of the past six years' worth of training could now be displayed for all to see, and Jiraiya was thoroughly enjoying himself. The earlier Hohō tests alone had been exhilarating, and the Kidō portion was proving to be just as entertaining. He and Itachi had been neck and neck throughout the day, and despite being even in the overall rankings their distinct styles, strengths and weaknesses were now truly coming into focus. Six years of learning and training side by side with the former Akatsuki member had given Jiraiya plenty of insights into his friend's capabilities as a soon-to-be Soul Reaper when compared to his own, and as it was all coming together now in the finals the Legendary Sannin had a pretty good idea as to where the two of them stood.

When it came to academic grades, the two of them were even; Jiraiya had tremendously improved his study habits when compared to what they'd been back when he was a troublemaking student in the Shinobi Academy. At first glance, it might appear to a casual observer that the same could be said for their practical abilities, but Jiraiya knew better. The key differences really came down to power and technique. When it came down to pure power, Jiraiya was reasonably confident now that his reserves of spirit energy were greater than Itachi's. They could both whip out Kidō spells like no one else in their class, but Jiraiya's offensive spells tended to have greater strength behind them, while his barriers and binding spells were more durable. Naturally, Itachi had noticed this, and it hadn't taken Jiraiya long to see how his friend had moved to counter; by focusing on his efficiency and precision. He wasn't as strong head-to-head as Jiraiya, but Itachi had an edge in accuracy. Even without the Sharingan, his gaze was razor-sharp, and each spell he fired off was never so much as a millimeter out of place. His power regulation was just as impressive; he rarely cut loose at full-bore, instead measuring each spell down to the last iota of energy.

This had also extended to their earlier Hohō examinations. When it came to speed and finesse, Itachi had Jiraiya beat. However, Jiraiya had an advantage when it came to endurance. The margins between them were difficult for their classmates to discern, and Jiraiya doubted that even their instructors had a good handle on the finer differences between them. However, he had no doubt that any Captain that happened to observe them would catch on soon enough.

 _I wonder what old man Sarutobi would say if he could see me now_ , he mused with a smirk, _I bet he never imagined that I'd take tests like these as seriously as I am now._

They were in the home stretch now, or at least they were as far as the Kidō final was concerned. Jiraiya didn't know what the regular students had to go through, but the proctors for the advanced track had told them up-front that they would be expected to show comprehensive knowledge with regards to spell casting. They had run the gamut between simple offensive and defensive spells to those that were much more complicated and demanding. They had not proceeded sequentially; the proctors had called out spells seemingly at random, forcing the students to adapt quickly and control their power output as much as possible in order to avoid running out of steam. The unpredictability of the test was perhaps its most daunting feature for most students, but Jiraiya wasn't intimidated. After all, field missions were by their very nature unpredictable, so it was only right that the practical examinations had a wild card or two in them.

"Next spell!" barked the proctor, a man with greying black-hair, a strong build, and more than a few wrinkles in his face, "Offensive, number 54!"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as fresh targets popped up; the spell that the instructor had just called out was the highest one so far. It was also a rather demanding one, even for students in the advanced track. Still, the stakes were on the table now, so there was nothing left to do but play his hand.

"Perdition's Flame, come forth!" he chanted, "Strike from the depths of Inferno, from the bowels of the Earth, and from the Sun in the sky! Let Evil know Judgment and find Repentance in Agony! Hadō 54: Haien!"

He thrust out his right arm, and an oblong blast of purple energy flew forth. It raced through the air and struck the wooden target downrange a moment later, engulfing it in flames and completely incinerating it.

 _That one's a real nasty piece of work_ , he thought grimly, _I don't like it, but I can see how it would come in handy against Hollows. I just hope I don't ever have to use it against anything else…_

The other students had unleashed their spells at the same time, and all the targets downrange were blazing as a result. Some, much like Jiraiya's, were consumed completely, while others were only partially destroyed. Jiraiya wasn't surprised that some of the students were having trouble; this late in the game, he imagined that it was all many of them could do to simply stay on their feet after all the spells they'd cast so far in this examination.

He glanced to his right and smirked at his friend. "Ready to throw in the towel?"

Itachi shook his head. "Hardly."

Jiraiya wasn't surprised. If Itachi was winded by the test, he wasn't showing it. He remained cool and aloof, patiently waiting to see what came next. Jiraiya hadn't expected him to be ruffled by their examinations, and so far, he wasn't disappointed.

Looking past Itachi, he was impressed to see that Visaelya was holding up quite well too. There was some sweat on her brow, but she was still standing and appeared more than ready for whatever else the proctor might throw at her. In terms of sheer power reserves, she actually occupied a middle ground between Jiraiya and Itachi, although she seemed unaware of that. As far as her technique went, she actually was little more than a step or two behind the pair of former Shinobi, which was no small feat. Her only real deficit at this point was her lack of prior combat experience when compared to Jiraiya and Itachi, but thanks to the field outings with Squad Two over the past few years she had begun to make progress on that front. She'd come quite a long way from her furious sparring matches with Itachi years ago, and while she clearly still considered him to be a rival it was on much friendlier terms now. The young woman had also mellowed out a bit when it came to her friendship with Jiraiya, although she still refused to so much as touch his novels.

 _An odd little trio we make_ , he mused, _Not exactly a repeat of Tsunade, Orochimaru, and myself, although it does ring a few bells. Still, this is something different, something new… and I'm all right with that._

The instructor stepped forward, and while Jiraiya was bracing himself for the next round he found himself surprised at the teacher's announcement. "All right, that's enough. The Kidō test is over!"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Visaelya seemed a bit taken aback by that as well. "Oh… I thought we still had more to go."

Itachi simply shrugged. "I suppose he's seen enough."

"When will we know our results?" asked another student.

"Your scores will be posted on the notification board outside the Kidō practice range in one hour," the instructor replied, "For now, I suggest that you get some rest and reflect on your performance."

 _He's giving nothing away as to what he things of how we did_ , Jiraiya thought, _I guess we'll just have to wait and see._

The students began to disperse, with Itachi, Jiraiya and Visaelya forming a small group just outside the range. The Legendary Sannin knew that all three of them could certainly use a little bit of downtime, although the prospect of finding out their test scores in an hour hanging over them would make that somewhat difficult.

"So," said Itachi, "now what?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "Beats me. Not really sure how to kill the time."

"How about some tea in the main student meal hall?" Visaelya suggested.

Jiraiya smiled. "I'd like that."

Itachi nodded. "As would I."

It barely took any time at all for them to cross campus to arrive at their destination; Shunpo was a remarkably useful talent both on and off the battlefield. They grabbed a table and had the tea brewed and ready just a few minutes later.

"So far, so good," said Itachi as he took a sip.

"You mean the exams?" asked Jiraiya.

"Of course," he replied.

Visaelya nodded. "Yes. They've been challenging, but not overly so. The extra time I've spent training with the two of you seems to be paying off. I suppose I owe you my thanks."

Jiraiya grinned. "Is that so? I can't remember the last time you thanked me!"

Visaelya rolled her eyes. "Don't let it go to your head."

"You're our friend," said Itachi, "We're always willing to lend aid to your self-improvement."

That was certainly true. Maybe they hadn't gotten off to the best start, but there was no denying now that Visaelya did indeed count as part of Jiraiya and Itachi's circle of friends. She still had the same clique of female students from before that she spent time with, but when it came to serious training she always sought out the two former Shinobi. There was a level of mutual respect there that went beyond what was expected of colleagues; she genuinely seemed to be fond of them, at least from where Jiraiya was sitting.

"After we get out scores today, we'll just have the Hakuda and Zanjutsu tests to worry about tomorrow," said Jiraiya, "All that studying and extra training we did for finals week, yet it's already almost over."

Visaelya nodded. "Yes… and the recruitment exhibition will be upon us before we know it."

The majority of Academy students would be placed into divisions after the finals at the discretion of the institution's senior faculty and the Head Captain based on the pupils' strengths and weaknesses. However, for students in the advanced track, things were a little different. There was a two-week period between the end of the final examinations and the actual graduation ceremony, and at the end of the first week was the recruitment exhibition. This was an event where all thirteen Captains would come to the Academy, give the advanced track students a taste of what to expect from their divisions, and make their official recruiting offers to the candidates they had their eyes on. If a student didn't receive an offer then they would be sorted into a division at the discretion of the Head Captain. However, since the Captains were always eager to refill their ranks in order to make up for attrition and transfers, this was rarely an issue. What Jiraiya was really interested in was which Captains would make offers to him, Itachi and Visaelya.

 _Itachi and I are at the top of the charts_ , he thought, _and Vissy's just a short step behind us. We're going to be hot commodities at the exhibition._

"We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves," said Itachi, "It's better to focus on the tests that are still ahead of us than the exhibition that lies beyond them."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Come on, Itachi. There's no need to play it cool with us; I know that you're just as excited for the exhibition as the rest of us!"

"The need to retain our concentration on the remaining finals is important," Visaelya admitted, "but the recruitment exhibition will still play a considerable role in determining our immediate future post-graduation. Itachi, even you must be giving it some contemplation."

After a moment Itachi nodded in concession. "I am, yes. The prospect is… intriguing."

Jiraiya gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "Looking forward to meeting a certain Flash Goddess there, Itachi?"

Visaelya smiled. "There's no harm in admitting that to be the case if it's true. While I may have originally felt it to be rather unprofessional for Captain Shihōin to show such favor to you, I have no problem conceding now that her faith has been well-placed. I'm sure you're at the top of her list for the students she wants to grab for the Second Division, and from our time together I believe that you would serve her quite effectively."

Itachi seemed slightly taken aback by her praise. "I appreciate the thought. Still, I do not wish to be presumptuous."

Jiraiya sighed as he took a sip of his tea. "Come on, Itachi; you can't deny what the rest of us see. You've wanted to get into her division from the moment she and Unohana saved our butts from the Hollows. There's no shame in fessing up."

Visaelya nodded. "Indeed. It means you know where you want your immediate career to take you upon leaving this institution. There's something to be said for that level of certainty."

She then looked down at her tea, her expression uncharacteristically hesitant. "I myself wish I had a similar… conviction in the course I wish to take."

Something was up; Jiraiya wasn't used to hearing her air doubts like these quite so publicly. "Something you want to get off your chest, Visaelya?"

"We have time," Itachi offered as a gentle nudge, "If you have doubts, it is better to air them now and find a way to move them forward to a clear resolution rather than have them distract you during our remaining tests tomorrow."

Visaelya looked a bit surprised at their offers. "I… I'm grateful for the concern, but I don't wish to trouble you two, especially when we all have more pressing matters to attend to."

Jiraiya gave her a warm smile. "There's nothing wrong with sharing your burdens with your friends. That's what they're for, after all. Isn't that right, Itachi?"

Itachi nodded at Visaelya. "Quite so. What's troubling you?"

Visaelya looked back and forth between them for a moment. "Well… could this please stay between the three of us?"

Jiraiya and Itachi exchanged a glance; what were they about to get into here? Jiraiya had no issue with keeping Visaelya's confidence, and he was sure Itachi felt the same way, but he had to wonder just what was bothering her so much.

"Of course," said Itachi.

Jiraiya nodded. "Sure thing. What's up?"

Visaelya sighed. "Squad Ten is my family's division, something that I know the two of you are well aware of. My uncle fully expects me to join it upon graduation, as I'm sure my parents do as well. For them, the recruitment exhibition is little more than a formality; as far as they're concerned, my immediate path after graduation has already been mapped out."

Jiraiya grinned; he had a feeling he knew where this was going now. "Let me guess; you've got a different destination in mind."

Itachi leaned forward, and to the Legendary Sannin's eyes he seemed genuinely curious. "Which division would you pick over the one dominated by your family?"

Visaelya took a deep breath before answering. "Squad Two."

 _I thought so_ , he mused with a smirk as an image of Shisui flashed through his mind, _and I think I know why she's leaning that way…_

"Well, now," he said in a faux-conspiratorial tone, "That _is_ interesting."

"Why the Second Division?" asked Itachi, "I would certainly welcome you as a fellow comrade were we both to go into Yoruichi's unit, but isn't her family also something of a rival to yours?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes… and that's part of the reason why I wish to join her division. I… I do not wish for my destiny to be dictated by nothing more than my bloodline. I want to forge my own path, and the best way that I can think of to do so would be to join the squad that's dominated by the Shihōin Clan after graduation."

Jiraiya chuckled; he was sure there was more to it than that, but now wasn't the time to tease her about it. "Well, that's certainly one way to get the message across. A pretty bold statement if you ask me. Are you sure it's one you're really ready to make, though? I may not be an expert on Great Noble Houses, but it strikes me that this might cause some friction."

"Jiraiya's right," said Itachi, "If this truly is your decision, we'll support you, but is it one that you're prepared to go through with? The consequences may go beyond just a few sharp words from your parents and uncle."

Visaelya closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes… that's something I had considered. Family loyalty is not something the Drakken Clan takes lightly. I do not view this as a betrayal, but simply taking the steps I must to forge my own path forward. My family, though, may not take such a view."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "Do you think they'd openly retaliate against you? How bad could it get?"

"That's difficult to say," Visaelya replied, "Even Great Noble Houses are wary of crossing the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and drawing the ire of the Head Captain. Any action taken against me would be measured so as to not bring down such scrutiny upon the perpetrators. Direct attacks can be ruled out, but there are other means for them to make their displeasure known."

"Would they disown you?" asked Itachi.

Visaelya shook her head. "I don't think so. That's usually reserved for the gravest of offenses. That being said, I could become something of a black sheep to them. Cold shoulders at family gatherings, or no invites altogether, would likely be the first line of attack against me. After that… well, I suppose it depends on how much of a slight they view my actions as."

"Do you think it'd be worth the trouble?" asked Jiraiya, "I'm all for you asserting your independence and going down your own path, but you may have to live with the repercussions for a very long time."

Visaelya sighed. "I know. I… I'm not sure what to do."

"What feels right to you?" asked Itachi, "If you were forced to decide here and now, what way is your heart leaning?"

It took a moment for her to answer. "Squad Two."

"I see," said Jiraiya, "Look, how about this; for now, focus on the last two tests we have before us. Once the finals are done, take the week we'll have between them and the recruitment exhibition to do some soul searching, all right? I think your heart's in the right place, but this isn't something that you should force yourself to decide while you're in the middle of finals week. Find your answer after we wrap things up tomorrow, okay?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes… I think you're right. Itachi?"

"There's nothing wrong with trying to plan ahead," he said, "but Jiraiya's correct. Right now, your immediate concerns are our remaining tests. Triumph over those, and then spend the time after them meditating upon the path you wish to take going forward."

Visaelya smiled at the two of them. "I will. Thank you, both of you. I know we didn't exactly start things off cordially, but… I'm glad that the two of you have become my friends."

Jiraiya smiled. "Same here. You may be wound up a bit too tight, but you're all right, Visaelya."

Itachi nodded. "You've come far, and you have much further to go. As long as the path you walk is one that you believe in your heart to be the right one for you, then I will do all I can to help. Perhaps we began as rivals, but I am proud to call you my friend."

Visaelya raised her cup. "To friends."

Jiraiya grinned. "I'll drink to that."

Itachi gave a small smile. "Likewise."

….

 **The next day…**

The eyes of the proctor were on him, but Itachi paid them no mind as he took his Zanpakutō through a rapid sequence of slashes. He was completely immersed in the flow of his demonstration; there was him, his sword, and nothing else. This was the last exam, and Itachi was determined to put on his best performance yet.

Speed, grace, and precision; all three merged seamlessly in a manner that put nearly all his fellow students to shame. Only Jiraiya could truly match him, but one-on-one fights were unfortunately not the order of the day. Rather, each student was made to put on a solo exhibition, running through a series of offensive and defensive patterns as a cumulative demonstration of their skills. They were not to stop until the proctor told them to, and they were not told how long they would have to maintain their performance. It was as much a test of endurance as it was of technique, but Itachi refused to be daunted by it.

Perhaps his field experience, both in the past life and in the field trips he'd been on with Squad Two over the years, gave him an unfair advantage over other students, but Itachi wasn't above making the most of it. Every student in the class had been given the past six years to refine their technique and build up their stamina; he had simply gone further than most. He was resolved to gain a flawless score, and nothing less would do.

Itachi had no desire to appear arrogant, but at this point he had to wonder if an Academy instructor was really qualified to evaluate his skills. He had gone from suspecting that he could beat the Academy faculty in a match over the years to being certain of it, although he had still refused to actually call any of them out for a challenge match out of respect for their positions. It was not his proctor today that would be commanding him post-graduation, therefore it was not his proctor that he ultimately wished to put on this performance for. Given how she had helped him in the past, though, Itachi knew it would be improper for Yoruichi to serve as his evaluator for the test. Even if he believed that she could impartially judge his skills, he understood that the appearance it would give in light of her prior aid to him would not be a good one.

 _ **Focus**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō chided him, _**You'll get the chance to show off for your favorite Captain soon enough.**_

 _I certainly hope so._

His blade wove a tapestry of silver flashes through the air. Thrust, slash, cut, parry, feint; all had their place, and all were made with unrivaled accuracy. The spirit of his Zanpakutō had been a peerless teacher in the art of the sword, and the fruits of her instruction were now on dazzling display for all to see. If Itachi had a complaint, it was only that he still did not know the name of his tutor and weapon. For someone who had progressed so blindingly quickly in life with the Shinobi arts, the slow pace of his development when it came to his Zanpakutō was quite jarring. Itachi was not deterred from moving forward, though; quite the opposite, in fact.

For all the praise that his instructors and classmates could heap upon him, Itachi was well aware that he still had much to learn. It was something that he did not wish to lose sight of, as he felt it kept him rooted in reality and would prevent him from overestimating his abilities. He was grateful for the new challenges that his afterlife had presented him with, and he remained determined to press onward and surpass who he had been in his first life. Not just in talent and deeds, but also in character; he would take all the mistakes that he had made the first time around and do everything in his power to make sure that the tragedies of the past did not repeat themselves.

He'd lost track of the amount of time that had passed when the proctor finally ordered him to stop. Lowering and sheathing his sword, he studied the face of his evaluator. The proctors were supposed to remain detached, but the man's eyes betrayed him; nothing less than awe shone within them.

"Was my performance satisfactory?" asked Itachi, with a feeling that he already knew the answer.

The proctor nodded numbly, clearly still trying to process what he had just seen. "Yes… it was. Your score will be posted with those of your classmates later this afternoon. Please be seated so the next student can begin."

Itachi did as instructed, settling in between Jiraiya and Visaelya. The two of them had already completed their tests; Itachi had been towards the tail-end of the class. Jiraiya had that typical knowing smirk on his face, while Visaelya gave him an approving smile.

"Well done," she said.

Itachi nodded. "Thank you."

"That was quite the show," said Jiraiya, "I imagine it won't be long at all before a certain Captain hears about it."

Itachi allowed himself a small smile. "Perhaps."

 _All that is left now is to learn my results_ , he thought as the next student began their tests, _and then it is on to the recruitment exhibition. Are you as eager for that day as I am…_

 _…Yoruichi?_

….

 **One week later…**

Bouncing on her heels, Yoruichi practically danced through the training yard of the Squad Two barracks as she went through her morning practice routine. Alternating between Zanpakutō strikes and a flurry of punches and kicks, she moved like lightning, and even an experienced observer would've had a hard time following her. This wasn't just another training session for her, though; it was an effort to burn off some of the excitement that had been building up within her throughout the week.

 _I probably should've used the training grounds that Kisuke built_ , she thought, _I can actually cut loose there without worrying about the surroundings. Here I have to take care not to damage the barracks._

Her eagerness for this day had been ever-present over the past six years, but now it was kicking into high-gear. Seeing Itachi's test scores had been a considerable factor there; as expected, he'd gotten flawless marks, matched only by Jiraiya. The two of them had come _very_ far since she and Unohana had first met them, and she was quite looking forward to getting them both out of the Academy and into the field. It wasn't just them, either; Visaelya Drakken had put on a very strong showing as well, and while she had come up short compared to Itachi and Jiraiya it was only by a very slim margin. Making matters much more intriguing were the hints Shisui had dropped that the heiress to the Great Noble House of the east was looking for a career path that deviated from those of her forebears.

 _It'd be a real coup if I could scoop up Rhaegon's niece right out from under his nose_ , she mused as she went through a sequence of rapid Zanpakutō slashes, _I can already picture the look on his face…_

She was all for it, but there were other factors that weighed on her mind, most prominently those of her parents. Yoruichi had nothing but disdain for noble family politics, but she was aware that her clan would likely be concerned that Visaelya joining Squad Two would give her a chance to spy on the Shihōin princess. It was a valid argument, yet Yoruichi's sense of the matter was that it wouldn't be a problem. Based on everything that Shisui had told her, Visaelya seemed determine to strike out on her own rather than rely upon her family name. Under those circumstances, it was hard to see the bright young woman's pride allowing her to become a spy for the Drakken Clan, even though Yoruichi knew it would be foolish to rule out the notion altogether. She would have some important decisions to make before the day was done, no doubt there.

The upcoming recruitment exhibition would be divided into two segments. The first was the public event, where the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, along with subordinates of their choice, would gather in the primary courtyard of the Academy. They would each have their own booths and displays that students could visit at their leisure. In the past exhibitions had been much rowdier, with the public events being so competitive and chaotic that at times the displays of power being unleashed had been enough to threaten not only the students but the Academy itself. New rules had been put into place in order to ensure safety and prevent the needless destruction of public property, and while it made for a much more orderly affair Yoruichi did sometimes miss the ruckus of the old days.

The second segment was commonly known as the bidding war. As the day wore on, the assembled Captains would begin dispatching messengers with private offers to their candidates of choice. Occasionally, Captains would leave their booths to seek out a backroom audience if a student was particularly sought after. Yoruichi suspected that the top three students in the advanced track this year would be faced with several such private meetings before the day was done. She already had her offer for Itachi worked up. It was as good of one that she could work up that would still seem reasonable to the outside observer, and she hoped it would stand up to the close scrutiny of the Head Captain. Division leaders had a considerable amount of leeway when it came to recruitment from the advanced track, but too much favoritism would draw unwanted attention from Yamamoto.

 _I could very well be competing against the old man today_ , she thought as she went into a backflip before going into a series of kicks, punches and blocks, _Old Man Yama can really make a hard sell if he's determined to scoop up a particular candidate. That kind of pressure's hard for a student to withstand, even an extremely gifted one. Itachi…_

She wound down her practice routine a few minutes later. As she sheathed her blade she heard applause coming from the edge of the training yard. Turning in that direction, she saw that her observer was none other than her Third Seat.

Kisuke smiled as she approached him. "Looking good. Working out a little pent-up stress?"

Yoruichi had to laugh at that; her old friend knew her too well. "Something like that!"

Kisuke nodded. "Thought so. Today's the big day. You've been waiting a long time for this."

"You can say that again," Yoruichi replied, "How are things coming along on your end?"

"I think I've got everything we need," said Kisuke, "I'm not sure how it's going to compare to Rhaegon's pet, but if nothing else it should draw some attention our way."

Yoruichi smiled. "Well, as long as it looks flashy, that's usually enough to reel in the curious. We've got some tough competition, but as long as we can at least draw people over to our booth then that's half the battle won right there."

Kisuke chuckled. "You provide the power and the sales pitch, and I manage the gadgets that keep it running smoothly. Soi-Fon and a few others help round out the crowd on our end, and Ōmaeda will be stuck back here on barracks duty again. With a little luck, this should be a _very_ productive exhibition."

"I sure hope so," said Yoruichi, "We've got a lot riding on this one."

Kisuke nodded. "That we do. You ready?"

Yoruichi grinned. "Yup! Let's do this!"

….

Sitting off to the side of the meal hall, Itachi was mildly amused at the excited gossip that was buzzing amongst his fellow students. They'd been ordered to gather there about an hour ago, but they'd been directed to follow a rather curious route, one that went completely around the main courtyard that typically offered the most direct path. There was only one reason for them to do so, of course; the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were making the final preparations for their exhibits, and the Academy faculty didn't want to spoil the surprise.

 _They would've been better off just having us all stay inside the dorms_ , he thought, _although I suppose there are plenty of windows there that look out upon the courtyard, too. Still, they could've had us all gather in one of the common rooms there instead and simply covered up the windows until they were ready._

Next to him, Jiraiya stretched his arms. "Think they're just about ready for us? They've been hyping this up ever since finals ended, so I'm ready to get this show on the road!"

Visaelya nodded. "Agreed. I don't know what the Captains have planned, but surely it wouldn't require too much work to set up. After all, these are just advertisements for their divisions."

"They wish to maximize their chances of getting high-quality recruits," said Itachi, "Our class is quite promising based on what I've overheard from the Academy faculty."

Jiraiya smirked. "Tooting your own horn, Itachi? I thought you were subtler than that."

"It's just an observation," he replied, "You've surely picked up on it as well. If not, then I seriously have to question how you became one of the Legendary Sannin."

Jiraiya chuckled. "All right, I guess I walked into that one."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Are you two ever going to tell me what that really means? While I respect your privacy with regards to your past life, Itachi, you throw that title around quite often when it comes to Jiraiya. What is its significance?"

Itachi turned to the sage. "I suppose we've known her long enough. What do you think?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Why not? Today's a special occasion, so I guess there's no harm in imparting some wisdom on our friend here!"

"Very well, then," said Itachi, "You do it. You were one of the three, after all."

Jiraiya shrugged. "All right, then."

"Three?" said Visaelya as she glanced between Jiraiya and Itachi, "The way you speak, it sounds like you were not one of them, Itachi."

"That's correct," Itachi replied, "They belonged to an older generation."

Visaelya turned back to Jiraiya. "Care to elaborate?"

"We've certainly got the time on our hands," said Jiraiya, "It was me and two fellow students. A lovely woman by the name of Tsunade, and a… _troubled_ but gifted man called Orochimaru."

 _'Troubled' would be a considerable understatement_ , Itachi mused, _I wonder what Visaelya would think of the twisted deeds he got up to…_

"Anyway, the three of us were the students of a man named Hiruzen Sarutobi," Jiraiya continued, "He was the Third Hokage of our village."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Third Hokage? You've mentioned the term 'Hokage' before, although with different numbers prefacing it. Was he an important figure?"

Jiraiya nodded. "You could say that. The Hokage is the leader of the Village Hidden in the Leaves where Itachi and I are from. They're the head of the local government and also the commander-in-chief of the village's Shinobi. Think of the one who holds that rank as someone like the Head Captain… although I don't know if there's ever been a Hokage that could match Yamamoto for raw power."

"I see," said Visaelya, "What made the Third Hokage decide to take you three on as his personal students?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "You know, that was always something of a mystery me. Orochimaru was extraordinarily talented; considered the village genius of our generation at the time, so the Third taking an interest in him made sense. As for Tsunade, you couldn't find a more powerful Kunoichi anywhere in the world no matter how hard you tried. Even in her youth, she was pretty damn strong, not to mention her healing skills were incredible. I was simply the class goof-off, so it was a little odd how I got thrown into the mix there."

Visaelya smirked. "Nice to see that some things never change."

Jiraiya gave her a confident grin. "Hey, laugh it up if you want, but I earned my keep! All three of us became powerful under the Third's tutelage, and we were quite the team. We had our disagreements, almost constantly butted heads and eventually went our separate ways, but when we worked together… well, let's just say we made our mark on the world."

Visaelya nodded. "I'll take your word for it. When did the three of you officially become the Legendary Sannin?"

"During the Second Shinobi World War," he replied, "Our team had been officially dissolved prior, but due to the scale of the conflict we continued to work together. We were a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield… but there was one man who proved himself to be our match."

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Who was this?"

"Hanzō of the Salamander," said Jiraiya, "He was the leader of the Village Hidden in the Rain. His nation was relatively small, and it was unfortunately stuck between three of what were known as the Five Great Shinobi Countries. Due to its position it had the rotten luck of serving as a battleground during the Second Shinobi World War. Even if his nation was small, though, Hanzō was no pushover. He was so powerful and skilled that he was able to take on all three of us. In fact, it was all Orochimaru, Tsunade and I could do just to survive his attacks. He had us beaten, but the fact that we were all still standing was enough for him to dub us the Hidden Leaf's Legendary Sannin. The name stuck. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said of us. That battle against Hanzō was the last time the three of us fought together as a team."

"What happened afterwards?" asked Visaelya.

Jiraiya sighed. "Of the three of us, the war hit Tsunade the hardest; she lost both her brother and the man she loved. Although she made invaluable contributions to the village with her skills in the healing arts, she just couldn't continue on with being a Shinobi after confronting such a profound and personal tragedy. She left the village and the path of the Shinobi after the war. With all that she had to go through, I can't say that I blame her."

Visaelya nodded somberly. "I see. What about the man you called Orochimaru?"

Jiraiya shook his head, his expression grim. "Orochimaru… he was incredibly gifted, but there was always something _off_ with him. I think the root of it was the loss of his parents at a young age. He became obsessed with achieving immortality. At first it might've been out of the belief that if he could live long enough he'd be able to meet his parents again when the were reincarnated into the world. However, it eventually became something far worse; a twisted desire to understand all facets of ninjutsu and to prolong his own life no matter what the cost might be. He started conducting horrific experiments on people from the village, including his fellow Shinobi. His actions were eventually discovered and traced back to him, and he fled the village as a criminal wanted throughout the Shinobi World."

"And… yourself?" asked Visaelya hesitantly.

Jiraiya closed his eyes for a moment before answering. "I tried to stop Orochimaru from leaving the village. I wanted him to face justice and repent for the crimes he had committed, but he was too far gone. He escaped, and it was in no small part my fault that he did. Had I been able to stop him then, so much pain and suffering could've been avoided. It wasn't too long after that that I left the village myself. I suppose part of it was self-imposed exile. I did what I could to track Orochimaru's movements, along with those of a newly formed criminal group that he temporarily hooked up with known as the Akatsuki."

He then turned to Itachi and smirked. "As it so happens, our class star was part of that organization."

Visaelya turned to Itachi, clearly taken aback by this revelation. "Wait a second… _you_ were a criminal, Itachi?"

It wasn't a label that Itachi would deny, given what he had done in his past life, but the truth wasn't quite so clear cut. "Yes, but it's not as simple an affair as you might think."

She looked like she wanted to press the matter further, but before she could do so a murmur went through the rest of the assembled students. Itachi and his companions turned to see that one of the Academy instructors had entered the meal hall.

 _Looks like it's finally time_ , he thought, _I wonder what awaits us out there…_

The instructor cleared his throat before addressing the assembled students. "I want you all to listen very carefully. The next four hours will consist of the public phase of the recruitment exhibition. Feel free to visit all the booths set up by the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and ask any questions that you wish. This is also your last big chance to make a favorable impression upon the Captains, so make sure your conduct is appropriate. At any time during the next four hours or afterwards, you may be approached by messengers or by one of the Captains themselves. If you are approached, pay close attention, for they will tell you when and where they wish to meet you to discuss their official recruitment offer. Messengers may approach you anytime between now and the end of the day, so even after the public phase is over you can still receive an offer."

"Seems straightforward enough," Jiraiya murmured.

The instructor paused, and to Itachi the man appeared a little apprehensive. "Also, do not approach Squad Ten's… _mascot_ without express permission from Captain Drakken. Doing so will be a ticket to an early grave."

Visaelya actually smirked. "That's putting it mildly."

 _So, we'll finally get to see one of the legendary beasts of the Drakken Clan_ , he mused, _I wonder if it'll measure up to Visaelya's boasting…_

"As another warning," the instructor continued, "I would strongly advise not to openly stare at Squad Eleven's guest for too long, especially with regards to direct eye contact. That will be taken as a challenge, and it is one that I can assure you none of you would survive."

Itachi's eyes widened ever so slightly at that. The nature of the warning meant only one thing; Captain Starmont had somehow manage to bring on of his Great Noble House's northern allies down to the Seireitei for the exhibition.

A very _powerful_ ally.

Visaelya seemed a bit taken aback as well. "No way… he actually summoned one for _this_?"

Jiraiya chuckled, and Itachi had a pretty good idea why. "Well, now… this should be interesting!"

 _That's one way to put it_ , he thought, _I know you've got a thing for women who can kick your ass, Jiraiya, but if you don't keep it in check it could get you killed today…_

 _ **That should be fun to watch**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō chimed in, _**I do hope that you get us front row seats for that event.**_

 _I'm sure Jiraiya would appreciate the sentiment._

"Any offers that you receive must be replied to before the end of the day," said the instructors, "To facilitate this, representatives from each division will remain on campus after the public phase of the recruitment exhibition is complete. They will be here at the meal hall once the public phase ends, so feel free to seek them out. Also, any of you who do not receive an offer from one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads need not worry; you will simply be assigned to a division based on personnel needs and your individual skills upon graduation. Do not rush this process. Take your time and carefully consider each division as you visit their Captains today. You all have passed your final exams, so even if you have not yet officially graduated from this institution, you may consider today to be the springboard for the start of your careers as Soul Reapers."

With that, he stepped aside and gestured to the doors behind him. "Now, it is time for this year's recruitment exhibition to get underway. Go out there and meet the Captains, and take your first steps into the world beyond this Academy!"

 _ **A day that has been far too long in coming. Will you keep up the pretense of exploring your options, or will you cut to the chase?**_

Itachi had to smirk at that. The spirit of his Zanpakutō knew _exactly_ which division he wished to join, and after all this time there was no point in playing coy about it any longer.

 _Hers will be the first that I visit, and I'll make my intentions clear. However, there is no harm in at least checking out the other divisions afterwards. After all, we'll likely have to conduct operations with them at some point in the future. It would be good to at least have a general idea as to who our fellow divisions in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are._

 _ **True enough. Well, there's no point in waiting around here any longer. Let's get this show on the road.**_

Itachi concurred, and joined the rest of his fellow students as they headed for the exits. There was a palpable eagerness coursing through the crowd, but Itachi restrained himself. The public event would last for four hours; there was plenty of time.

Jiraiya gave him a knowing smirk as they waited patiently for the bottleneck to ease up. "I'm surprised you're holding yourself back; there's a very lovely lady waiting for you out there, after all!"

"She's waited six years for this day," Itachi calmly replied, "A few more minutes won't hurt anyone."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, I'm all for being fashionably late, but don't overdo it. You only get so many chances to impress a beautiful woman, after all!"

"I'm surprised you get any at all, you oaf," Visaelya quipped at the sage.

Jiraiya put his palm to his chest in a gesture of exaggerated pain. "Oh, that's just _harsh_ , little Miss Vissy!"

"My next barb will be worse if you call me that again," she replied.

Jiraiya held up his hands in surrender. "All right, all right! You can have this round."

Itachi couldn't help but smirk slightly as the three of them approached the doorway. "You two are as entertaining as ever. Might I suggest turning your energies towards the Captains instead, though? We do want to make good impressions, after all."

Visaelya gave an embarrassed smile. "Yes… I suppose we do."

Jiraiya grinned. "Do I even need to ask where you're going first, Itachi?"

"You can, but it would be a waste of your breath," said Itachi, "Feel free to go where you wish; I already know what my first stop will be."

Jiraiya nodded. "You know what, I think I'll do just that. I like the idea of checking out the other Captains at my own pace."

"If you don't mind, Itachi," Visaelya chimed in, "I wish to accompany you. I believe we both have the same initial destination in mind."

Itachi gave her a small smile; it looked like she was finally ready to make her big move. "If that's your desire, then I will not stop you."

"Thank you," she said before turning to Jiraiya again, "Try to stay out of trouble, Pervert Author, less Captain Unohana do us all a favor and relieve you of your wandering hands."

Jiraiya laughed. "Ooh, maybe she should be the Captain that I visit first! It's been a long time, after all. I need to make sure she still remembers me!"

"I highly doubt she's forgotten you," Itachi deadpanned, "You do have a way with women, after all."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Nice of you to notice, Itachi."

"I suppose Itachi and I will meet up with you when it's over," said Visaelya, "Best of luck, Jiraiya."

The sage nodded. "Same to you."

Jiraiya broke off from the rest of them as they stepped outside. Itachi hadn't exactly been sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't the sight that confronted him now. It might've been called an exhibition, but it almost had something more akin to a festival's atmosphere. The courtyard was dominated by the displays put up by each of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and it took a moment for Itachi properly orient himself in the sea of displays. Each was quite unique, with some much more prominent and jaw-dropping than others, and while he looked forward to studying each of them up close he was currently focused on finding just one in particular.

Visaelya seemed a bit surprised as well. "Oh, my… I'd heard that the Captains could get creative, but this… I've honestly no clue which one might belong to Squad Two. Any ideas?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating instead on sensing spiritual pressure. It only took him a moment to find Yoruichi's distinctive presence, and when he opened his eyes he locked onto her exhibit.

"Right there," he said with a nod.

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly as she followed Itachi's gaze. "Oh, that's… interesting."

"That's one way to put it," he replied, "Shall we go say hello?"

It took a moment for Visaelya to reply; she was rather wrapped up in the display, and it was hard for Itachi to blame her. "Yes… let's do that."

It was certainly a distinctive one, there was no doubting that. While other Captains had apparently gone for either size, flare or a touch of the exotic, Yoruichi had apparently decided to embrace the element of shadow that came with the darker aspects of Squad Two and its connection to the Stealth Force. A strange mist enshrouded most of the display with the exception of the very front, and it was constantly shifting and writhing in a mix of dark blues and violets. Illumination was provided by a series of six columns with bowls of brilliant blue fire atop them, and Itachi realized that he could sense Yoruichi's spirit energy emanating from the flames.

 _She provided the power that gave life to them herself_ , he thought, _much_ _like how the flames that illuminated the barrow we explored last year were powered by the spirit energy of spell casters from the old kingdom. Fascinating…_

At the center of the display was Yoruichi herself, sitting upon a stone chair that was covered in intricate and flowing runes. These runes glowed with spirit energy as well, and once again Itachi was reminded of the ancient Andunayan tomb. He could feel her power coming from the patterns emblazoned on the chair as well, a soft but clear reminder of both her strength and the incredible degree of control that she possessed. It wasn't just runes that decorated the chair she sat upon; sparks of white spirit energy danced along the back of it just over Yoruichi's head, almost providing a halo effect. The way the exhibit played with both light and shadow was most intriguing, and Itachi felt that it was rather fitting given the nature of the second division.

Yoruichi wasn't alone within the display. Standing to the right of her throne was Kisuke, while to the left was Soi-Fon. Shisui was close to the 'entrance', for want of a better term, and he also caught sight of Rija as well, along with a few other officers that he vaguely remembered from past field missions that Squad Two had taken students of the advanced track on.

The Captain grinned as the two of them approached. "The class ace and the daughter of the dragons, drawn here like moths to the flame… come on in. I don't bite… well, not unless you _want_ me to, Itachi!"

He tried very hard to ignore the rush of heat that came to his face at that last part. Did she know that she had this effect on him? From the mischievous light gleaming in her golden eyes, he suspected he already knew the answer.

Kisuke chuckled. "What do you think of our little setup here?"

"It's very impressive," said Itachi as he and Visaelya stepped inside, "How did you put it all together?"

Kisuke smirked. "Hey, you know what they say; a good magician never reveals their tricks!"

"This can't just be all your doing, right, Captain Shihōin?" asked Visaelya, "I mean, I can feel your spirit energy coursing throughout this display, but…"

Yoruichi smiled. "You're wondering if the fog is a natural power of mine or something else? It's the latter. Let me put it this way; I'm providing the energy that sustains all this, while Kisuke worked up all the tricks that harness and channel it into the display that surrounds you."

"We knew that we couldn't compete with the likes of Squad Ten in a contest of raw power for grabbing attention," Shisui chimed in, "So we decided to play a different game. Squad Two's always had a bit of an air of mystery due to our involvement in espionage, scouting and security, so we felt we should play up that darker aspect of our division."

"You've certainly done so," said Visaelya as she looked around, "Some might be rather intimidated by the encompassing shadows of the mist."

Yoruichi smirked. "But you're not among them, right? Would that be your family pride speaking?"

Visaelya smiled confidently. "The Drakken Clan doesn't balk at shadows."

Yoruichi nodded. "Well said. Now then, what do you two say we get down to business?"

She snapped her fingers, and the dark mist moved to cover the entrance entirely. Now it was just the two students, Yoruichi and her subordinates, with only the flickering bowls of blue flame giving any sort of light. Studying Squad Two's Captain closely, Itachi felt that her demeanor was now akin to a jungle cat that had her prey in her sights.

"You two know more about my division than most students in your class, given the missions that we've taken you on," she said, "Still, one of the purposes of the recruitment exhibition is for us Captains to offer information so that bright pupils such as yourselves can make an informed decision once we start bombarding you with offers. Feel free to ask whatever's on your mind."

Itachi nodded, deciding to take the lead. "Very well, then. If we joined your division as Soul Reapers, how much overlap would our duties have with those of the Stealth Force?"

"As new recruits, it would initially be a bit limited," Rija answered, "Given the nature of the Stealth Force's mission profile, your assignments would only start to intersect with theirs once you've gained greater familiarity with the division and its responsibilities."

"We want you to be able to work well with the Stealth Force," Yoruichi added, "Cooperation is essential, and even though I command both the Stealth Force and Squad Two it can be difficult for members of both groups to work together if they don't fully understand each other. That's why you'll be given time after the official orientation to familiarize yourself with the inner workings of both organizations. Your superior officers, myself included, will do all we can to guide you through that period. It's definitely a different world when compared to other units, but it also means that many of our assignments are quite unique and offer challenges and chances to test yourself in ways that you wouldn't find in other divisions."

"I know that Squad Two oversees the Nest of Maggots prison," said Visaelya, "Technically its under the jurisdiction of the Stealth Force, but your Third Seat is also the Corps Commander of the Detention Unit, correct? Would we be called upon to aid there even though we wouldn't officially be members of the Stealth Force?"

Kisuke shrugged. "It depends. The two of you have superb Hakuda and Hohō scores, which are essential when it comes to working the Nest of Maggots. You'd be given an overview of the prison and the other facilities associated with the Detention Unit during your orientation, and you'd be expected to retain what you learn there should there be a crisis and we need you to act as reinforcements. Brand new Soul Reapers don't usually get called upon, though; we want you to build up a decent amount of experience before throwing you in there."

"The inmates of the Nest of Maggots are not to be trifled with," Soi-Fon cautioned, "They're extremely dangerous, and not just because of their crimes or the skills they possess. While within the prison they can move about freely and converse with the other inmates, but the nature of the Nest of Maggots is enough to drive all but the most disciplined prisoners to madness. That insanity can lead them to suddenly attacking Soul Reapers or members of the Stealth Force at a moment's notice, which is why Hakuda and Hohō are crucial areas of skill for anyone whose duties include the Nest of Maggots."

"An ironclad rule of that prison is that there are no weapons allowed for _anyone_ who goes in there," said Yoruichi, her eyes narrowing, "There are no exceptions, even for me. Anyone who joins my division are required to keep their Hakuda skills as sharp as possible precisely because the Nest of Maggots is under our control, and I need everyone under my command to possess the abilities required to operate in such a dangerous environment."

"Being the jailkeepers of the Soul Society isn't exactly glamorous, but it is important work," Shisui pointed out, "By keeping the inmates confined we save lives just as surely as we do when we slay and purify Hollows."

"If you are asked to work the Nest of Maggots, it wouldn't be permanently," Rija added with a reassuring smile, "Wardens and guards are regularly rotated in order to avoid fatigue and burnout."

Yoruichi grinned. "If we're being honest here, I wouldn't be recruiting you guys just to turn you into my newest jailkeepers. The kind of talent you two have is best put to use out in the field, and that's where I want you! I may let Kisuke borrow you from time to time to help out the Detention Unit once I know that you can handle it, but it would only be on a temporary basis."

"What would our field work consist of?" asked Itachi, "The missions we did with you as students gave us a good look at some of Squad Two's operations, but I imagine that there's far more to it than the glimpse we got."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're right about that. I know you two have already gotten a good overview of our duties; in addition to the usual Hollow hunting, we're the eyes and ears of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads out in the field. Scouting missions in The Wild and the Realms of the Living are a regular occurrence for us, so you'll pick up plenty of reconnaissance work. Along with tracking and slaying Hollows, we also hunt down criminals, and you would be working with the Stealth Force for operations like that."

"We also tend to get more unusual assignments than other divisions," said Kisuke, "That expedition to the barrow in the north was a good example of that. Helping Squad Twelve with surveying and updating official charts and maps of the Soul Society isn't unheard of for us, especially since our members tend to excel at rapid movement. We also do extended patrols out in The Wild to keep tabs on the movements of known bandit tribes to make sure they don't consolidate and become a serious threat."

"In some cases, we'll be called upon to infiltrate those tribes for the purposes of intelligence gathering and sabotage," Shisui chimed in, "Assassinating leaders, burning food supplies, destroying weapons; you name it, we do it."

Rija nodded. "We're not just another sword for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; we're the knife that they use for their dirty work. We seek out threats and nip them in the bud through whatever means necessary."

 _Not unlike the Anbu black ops_ , thought Itachi, _I'll be more at home in Squad Two than I could ever have imagined before starting my education here…_

"Speaking of seeking out threats, that includes internal ones as well, right?" asked Visaelya as she turned to Shisui, "When we were exploring the Andunayan barrow, you mentioned that Squad Two often works with the Stealth Force to police the Seireitei. As new recruits, would be asked to partake in such operations?"

"On a case by case basis," Shisui replied cautiously, "The Seireitei's a whole different kind of jungle than what you'd find out in The Wild or the Realms of the Living."

Yoruichi nodded. "He's not wrong. The Seireitei may be the heart of our civilization, but don't let that fool you; policing it can be just as dangerous as hunting down Hollows or marauders beyond the Rukon District. After all, in here your opponents are much more likely to be your fellow Soul Reapers. They know the terrain just like you and have had the same education, not to mention they'll all have their own Zanpakutō."

She leaned forward and clasped her hands in front of her with a dark look in her eyes. "Since the internal security of the Seireitei is such a serious responsibility, should you join Squad Two you will also be given additional training in how best to take down your fellow Soul Reapers, and here's a hint; it won't be through honorable combat. The other divisions know this, and their members often harbor more than a hint of resentment towards us for that. We don't fight clean; we can't afford to when it's the safety and security of the Soul Society at risk. You'll learn every dirty trick you can think of and a good deal more besides, and you _will_ be expected to use them should the need arise."

Itachi nodded; he'd expected as much, and it wasn't all that difference from what the Uchiha Clan had once done in their role as the Leaf Village Military Police Force. "Understood."

He glanced at Visaelya, and to her credit she did not seem daunted by what Yoruichi was describing. "Of course. The protection of the Soul Society must come first. Our personal honor is a secondary concern."

Yoruichi gave an approving smile. "Impressive. I expected as much from you, Itachi, but _you_ , Visaelya… you're full of surprises today. I _definitely_ like you more than your uncle, that's for sure! He's too prideful to truly appreciate our duties like you do. Are you _sure_ you're a Drakken and not a long-lost Shihōin?"

Visaelya returned her smile. "While I'm sure it would be an honor to be counted amongst the members of your clan, Captain Shihōin, my blood is that of the dragons."

"Maybe," Yoruichi replied, "but your mind is something else. I think you might take to our kind of work much more naturally than any other member of your family ever could."

"I would be honored to be given the chance to prove you correct," said Visaelya.

Yoruichi grinned. "Interesting…"

"Did either of you have any additional questions?" asked Soi-Fon.

Itachi nodded. "Yes. Do Squad Two and the Stealth Force patrol the Rukon District in addition to the Seireitei, The Wild, and the Realms of the Living?"

Yoruichi gave him a thoughtful look. "We do, yes. After all, since it surrounds the Seireitei its important to keep tabs on developments there."

"Do you maintain records of particular groupings or communities within the Rukon District?" Itachi asked.

Yoruichi leaned forward again. "Yes, and should you join our ranks you would have access to them."

The light in her eyes was all Itachi needed to know that she had an idea as to why he was pursuing this line of inquiry. It wasn't surprising; he knew that Shisui took the time to patrol the Rukon District in an effort to track down other members of the Uchiha Clan, and it was likely that Yoruichi at least suspected what her Tenth Seat was doing out there.

"That being said," she continued with a smirk, "should you be assigned any Rukon District patrols, you would be expected to make sure that the mission remains your priority. I'm not opposed to you surveying the Rukon District out of personal interest, but I do expect you to maintain your professionalism and accomplish your assigned objectives."

Itachi gave a very small smile; she'd all but given him permission to join Shisui in searching for traces of their clan should he join Squad Two, and that was all the more reason for him to sign up as quickly as possible. "I understand. I can assure you that I would be able to maintain my focus and complete such missions successfully."

Yoruichi grinned. "I never doubted that for a moment. Any other questions?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes. Forgive me if this sounds premature, but how soon would we be given opportunities for advancement?"

Yoruichi chuckled. "My, my, _someone's_ eager to start moving up the ranks!"

Visaelya gulped nervously. "Forgive me, I just…"

Yoruichi laughed. "Oh, lighten up! I don't mind the question. I'm actually kind of surprised it took you this long to ask it. As for the answer, your rate of advancement will be determined by a few different factors. Skill's obviously an important one, but there's also the matter of how soon new positions open up in the ranks above you. There's a fair amount of personnel turnover throughout the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, what with promotions, transfers, leaves of absence, and of course unfortunate deaths in the line of duty. Work hard and show me what you're made of, and you'll have a fair shot at climbing the ladder!"

She leaned back and stretched. "That being said, there's a general rule across the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; the ranks of Fifteenth Seat and above are typically reserved for those who have unlocked their Shikai. There are a few exceptions, but they don't come up very often. If you want to move up the ranks, the fastest way to do so is to deepen the bond between you and your Zanpakutō. Once you unleash your Shikai, you'll find a whole new world of opportunities opening up before you."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Thank you for your time, Captain Shihōin. This has been very informative."

"Yes," said Itachi as he met Yoruichi's gaze, "I'm now surer than ever just which division I wish to join."

It was as clear a message as he could offer to Squad Two's Captain, and she grinned in response. "Glad to hear it! Still, don't be afraid to check out the displays that the other divisions are putting on. This is your only chance to experience the recruitment exhibition as students, after all, so have some fun and make the most of it!"

Visaelya smiled. "Of course. I'm honored by the time you've given us today Captain Shihōin… and should I prove worthy of your consideration, I eagerly await your offer."

Yoruichi smirked. "Not exactly subtle, but I like someone who's confident enough to lay their cards out on the table. You'll be hearing from me sooner than you might think, Visaelya. Same goes for you, Itachi!"

She snapped her fingers, and the mist behind them receded to reveal the entrance again. "Now, go out there and enjoy yourselves! Captain's orders!"

Shisui gave them a friendly smile. "It was good seeing you two again. I'll come find you both in a little while, so don't stray too far!"

Itachi gave his friend a nod. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Yes," said Visaelya, and Itachi couldn't help but notice the slight blush that came to her face, "Same here, Tenth… I mean, Shisui."

As the two of them left Squad Two's exhibit, Visaelya turned to Itachi. "So, where next?"

Itachi shrugged. "I have no plans. I was assuming you'd want to check out your uncle's division, but if you want to inspect another's exhibit instead that works for me."

Visaelya nodded. "Squad Ten sounds good. Let's go."

He gave one last look over his shoulder at Squad Two's Captain. Some new students had entered her division's exhibit, but before the mist moved to conceal them Yoruichi gave Itachi a wink and a smile. He nodded in return. His intentions were clear, as was her invitation.

 _I'll pay the others a visit, but at this point it's little more than a formality._

 _ **Good**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō chimed in, _**I can't imagine a better division for us.**_

 _Glad we're on the same page._

….

As fascinating as the displays of each division appeared, there had never been any doubt in Jiraiya's mind as to which one he'd visit first. It had been far too long since he'd laid eyes on Squad Four's lovely Captain, so even if he didn't consider himself to be cut from the healer's cloth he was still determined to check it out if for no other reason than to speak with the division's beautiful leader.

Not for the first time, he idly wondered what would've happened had Squad Four's Captain met Tsunade. Two incredibly gifted healers who were also powerful fighters and gorgeous women to boot? If nothing else, they'd probably have more than their fair share of jokes to make at his expense!

 _The chakra that Tsunade's build up over the years, combined with her skills in the healing arts, means that it will likely be many more years before she finally passes on to the Soul Society_ , he thought with a smile, _I hope that's the case, at least. As much as I might want to see her again, she deserves as much time as possible in the Realms of the Living. In the meantime, I've got another powerful woman that I can work my charms on!_

The Academy courtyard was filled with the spiritual pressure of the Captains to a point that it was almost suffocating, even though Jiraiya was sure that they were still suppressing the bulk of their power. Even so, it was relatively easy for him to pick out Unohana amidst the ambient spirit energy. Hers was a most unique presence; calm and soothing, yet with an undercurrent of steel… and a hint of something darker just beneath that. Jiraiya couldn't quite put his finger on what that might be, and it made her all the more intriguing to him.

Her division's exhibit wasn't as flashy or exotic as those of her fellow Captains, but it had a certain simple elegance and tranquility to it that he found to be quite appealing. A light blue banner was suspended by two poles overhead, with the words 'Squad Four' emblazoned upon it in black characters, and the writing was surrounded by a white embroidery pattern that looked like the gentle waves of the ocean. The division's insignia was the bellflower, and many pots filled with these blue-violet flowers created a beautiful perimeter around the display. Sitting on a simple yet quite comfortable looking cushion in the center of the exhibit was the Captain herself, a beacon of gentleness and serenity in the lively courtyard. Her Lieutenant, whom Jiraiya recognized thanks to his visits to the Squad Four barracks during the soul fracture incident with Itachi, was seated just to the left behind her.

There was another figure that was on a cushion to the right behind Unohana, a woman that Jiraiya had not seen before. She was unusually tall, at least six feet if Jiraiya had to guess, and had friendly if slightly nervous grey eyes that went rather well with her short and slightly messy silver hair. It was styled a little strangely on the right side with two shoulder-length braids, but Jiraiya had to admit it looked good on her. Thin and dangling red earrings framed her face and provided a bit of variety to the rest of her attire, which consisted of the standard Soul Reaper's uniform. Her figure was quite athletic, and her rather prominent chest, while not as magnificent as Tsunade's, was still enough to elicit a small smile from the renowned Pervy Sage. Of course, he couldn't afford to give it more than a glance while under the watchful gaze of Unohana.

Speaking of the Captain, she gave him a smile that was as charming and serene as it was downright beautiful. "Ah, if it isn't the Seireitei's latest literary sensation. Welcome, Jiraiya. Should I be flattered or concerned that you've apparently chosen to visit my division's exhibit first today?"

Jiraiya laughed. "I'm humbled by your praise, although your question wounds me! If a man doesn't seek out first the loveliest Captain in all of the Soul Society, then I'd have to question his priorities!"

He was surprised to actually hear her giggle, and boy was it the sweetest music to his ears. "Your boldness may yet be your undoing, but your silver tongue comes second only to your literary talents. Come then, Jiraiya, and let us see where your nerve takes you today."

She motioned to the cushion in front of her, and Jiraiya took a seat. With a much closer vantage point, he took the opportunity to study her gaze. Her deep blue eyes were much like her spiritual pressure; calm and gentle, yet with a hint of shadow that suggested something ominous lurking just out of sight. It was definitely a different feel than he'd gotten from Tsunade; her threats of retribution for his mischievous ways were open and quickly followed by a decisive beating from her inhumanly powerful fists. For all the compassion and tranquility that seemed to surround the Soul Society's greatest healer at first glance, that shadow suggested something _much_ more dangerous awaited those who ran afoul her. A lesser man might've been scared.

Jiraiya was most certainly _not_ lesser men, and he was intrigued.

 _A mystery for another time_ , he thought, _I definitely want to know more, but that's not on today's agenda._

"Smooth words and an unhealthy boldness aside, I must admit that I'm rather surprised at your decision to approach my division before any other," said Unohana, "I've seen your Academy grades, and while they are most impressive, your results and notes from your instructors seem to indicate that your inclinations are more those of someone who wishes to fight on the front lines rather than act in a supporting capacity."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I'm more than just a fighter, you know? I've already surprised you once today; who's to say I can't do so again?"

The Captain smiled. "Yes… and the day is quite young."

Jiraiya nodded before turning to the silver-haired girl. "It is, which means we've got time for proper introductions. What's your name, my lovely lady?"

He saw just a hint of red appear on her cheeks before she answered. "I'm Isane Kotetsu, Squad Four's Seventh Seat!"

"Isane is quite a gifted Soul Reaper," said Unohana, "Her talents in the healing arts are coming along superbly, and she is also quite competent with her Zanpakutō. Truly, I'm most fortunate to have her in my division."

Jiraiya gave Isane a warm smile. "That's high praise coming from someone as accomplished as you. Keep up the good work, Isane!"

The plaudits seemed to fluster her, although she was still able to return his smile. "Oh… I will! Thanks!"

Unohana then gestured at the man behind and to the left of her. "I believe you're already acquainted with Lieutenant Yamada."

Jiraiya nodded. "How've you been?"

Seinosuke Yamada simply nodded. "Well enough."

 _This one's a cool customer_ , he thought, _I wonder what it takes to ruffle his feathers…_

"Now, let us commence with the business at hand," said Unohana, "As amusing as your company can be, Jiraiya, the recruitment exhibition does require that these sessions be handled seriously. So, what does a romantic-comedy novelist and soon-to-be Soul Reaper wish to know about Squad Four?"

Jiraiya leaned forward; if she wanted to curtail the small-talk, he could oblige. "Well, then, I suppose the best place to start would be this; what's it like in your division? I know you're the healing heart of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but there's gotta be more to it than that."

"Medical duties are the core of our function," Unohana answered, "but you are correct; like a fine gemstone, there are several facets that we must be viewed through. In addition to our primary role as healers, you could also consider us to be the premier logistical division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. We help ensure that the other divisions are properly supplied, both with emergency first aid necessities in case members of Squad Four can't be immediately present and also with more mundane items such as rations and other consumable goods."

"We help administer the flow of consumables throughout the Seireitei," Lieutenant Yamada added, "Relying upon private merchants simply isn't sufficient, especially from a security standpoint. While Squad Four may be first and foremost the medical division, our members do have basic combat training, so if needed they can defend supplies, although of course they would also call for support from the other squads."

"We also help manage the overall inventory of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," Isane chimed in, "We work closely with Squad One in that regard since they're the main administrative division."

Jiraiya nodded. "So, it's a lot of behind the scenes work, then. Am I on the right track?"

Unohana smiled. "Yes, you are. Some of it may not be as flashy or glamorous as the duties of other divisions, but they are essential to keeping the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a whole up and running. While I'm not one to boast, it's a simple fact that without our work the entire organization would collapse."

"I see," said Jiraiya, "What else does Squad Four get involved in?"

"Teaching," Unohana replied, "When we have the available time and personnel, we host lectures and practical lessons regarding emergency healing. Members from all divisions are invited to attend, and even if medical duties are not their primary responsibilities these sessions can still provide a chance to learn and practice invaluable lifesaving skills. After all, even though Squad Four has relief teams that work with the other divisions, in the event that our members cannot be physically present for an operation or must scramble to reach units in the field, having personnel on hand that have even just a basic knowledge of field first aid can mean the difference between life and death."

Jiraiya smiled; he had enough experience from his past Shinobi life to know that she spoke the truth. "You're right about that. Where do you advertise for these sessions? I definitely wouldn't want to miss out on one."

"We take out ads in the _Seireitei News Magazine_ ," said Isane, "We also post notices on the public boards that every division maintains."

"It's effective enough," chimed in Seinosuke, "We have steady and reasonable attendance at our events, although of course the ones that tend to draw the biggest crowds are those led by the Captain herself."

Jiraiya grinned as he met Unohana's gaze again. "Well, that's only natural. I'd be all for some instruction from a Soul Reaper as accomplished as you!"

Unohana gave him a knowing look. "I wonder if you'd be saying that to Captains that weren't of the fairer sex."

Jiraiya laughed. "Of course, I would!"

He could tell that she wasn't buying it one bit, but she at least seemed willing to humor him. "Well, I'm pleased to see that you have an open attitude about such things. Is there anything else that I might assist you with today?"

"I know your division is primarily support, but when things are dire, have you ever been deployed straight to the front lines?" asked Jiraiya.

That shadow in her eyes grew just a bit more prominent in response. "As a division? No. If matters are so severe enough that members of Squad Four are needed as combat reinforcements, only one is sent. Only myself… and I can assure you that that's not only quite intentional, but more than enough."

Jiraiya didn't doubt it for a moment; even in a friendly setting such as this, he could feel the power that she was suppressing. When combined with that hint of shadow in her gaze, it made him almost feel sorry for whatever Hollow had the misfortune of becoming her target.

"I can definitely see that," he said, "I still remember the night you and Captain Shihōin saved me and Itachi like it was yesterday. You dealt with your Hollow pretty easily."

Unohana smiled. "I'm glad that I could leave you with such a positive impression of my skills. Truth be told, though, my performance that night could've used some work. I do my best to keep a reasonable training regimen, but the simple fact is I don't get similar opportunities for field combat as other Captains. I'm quite proud of my role as a healer, but I must admit it is somewhat regrettable that my status means the Head Captain is reluctant to send me to the front lines in a combat capacity."

Jiraiya nodded. "I see. I can understand his reasoning, although I do think it'd be better for all of us if he gave you a little more leeway. Any division would be lucky to have you appearing on the front lines to reinforce them."

"Once again, your talent for flattery is quite remarkable," Unohana replied with a laugh, "Of course, I do not consider flattery alone to make someone worthy of joining Squad Four."

Jiraiya grinned. "Maybe, but it can't hurt my chances, right?"

Unohana nodded, although the look on her face was rather serious. "I suppose not, but is this something you are seriously considering? Your spirit energy reserves are remarkable, especially for a student, so I have no doubt that with proper training you would make a most effective healer. However, your aptitude scores and finals results indicate a disposition that is much more suited for field work."

Jiraiya leaned forward. "There's nothing wrong with me exploring my options, right?"

"There is not," Unohana concurred, "but that does not change my reservations."

She looked at him for a moment, and Jiraiya could sense the gears at work behind those deep blue eyes. What she was pondering, the sage couldn't say, and this was despite the experience he'd gained at reading people over his long career as a Shinobi.

She nodded a few seconds later. "Well, as much as I enjoy educating others on the inner workings of my division, I cannot devote the entire recruitment exhibition to a single student, even one as charming and talented as yourself. If you are indeed exploring your options, Jiraiya, then it would be a disservice for me to keep you here so long that you miss the chance to make inquiries of the other divisions."

That seemed to be her hint to leave, but before he could do so she smiled again. "Might I suggest Squad Eight as your next stop? I know that Captain Kyōraku has been rather keen on meeting you again, especially since he has a taste for your novels. You may find some intriguing possibilities with his division… and those may have threads that tie back to mine as well."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Really? Care to elaborate?"

Her smile took on an air of amusement. "Not at this time. There are many mysteries in life, after all, and where is the fun in depriving a man like you the chance to solve one?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "So that's the game, huh? All right, then. I suppose I can play along."

He stood up and gave her one last smile. "It was a pleasure to speak to you again, Captain Unohana. I'm already eagerly awaiting our next meeting."

Unohana nodded, and her reply surprised him. "As am I, Jiraiya… and it may come much sooner than you think."

….

As she and Itachi approached Squad Ten's exhibit, Visaelya took a deep breath. She should not have felt this apprehensive given that this was essentially her family's division, but her growing desire to carve out her own path and deviate from what was seen as the only true road for members of the Drakken Clan to follow meant that her nerves threatened to betray her.

 _You haven't made up your mind yet_ , she told herself, _there's no harm in simply looking around and paying a friendly visit to your uncle._

Unfortunately, Visaelya knew that that wasn't as true as she might wish it were. No doubt her uncle had expected her to visit his division _first_ , so in his eyes she'd likely already committed her first slight by going to Squad Two's exhibit at the beginning instead. That might be something he'd overlook if she still joined Squad Ten, but if she did ultimately follow the guidance of her friends and strike out on her new path then her perceived offense would be multiplied a hundredfold.

She was so wrapped up in her doubts that she practically jumped when she felt Itachi's hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you're up for this? We can visit another division before this one if you want."

She had to smile; her friend had seen right through her, and while she might've wished for Shisui to be at her side here instead, she was still pleased that Itachi was willing to support her. "Yes, I just… well, it's a little harder than I'd anticipated."

Itachi nodded. "I imagine so. Remember, no matter how much influence your uncle or any other member of your family may try to exert on you, ultimately this is _your_ decision. Do what feels right for _you_ , not them."

Visaelya took another deep breath and felt her nerves begin to settle. "My decision… yes. Let's do this."

Her personal circumstances aside, the Squad Ten exhibit would've been imposing for any approaching student. The front was relatively straightforward; an archway of black stone had been constructed, and carved at the apex of the arch were the words 'Squad Ten', and just beneath those was an engraved image of a daffodil, the division's symbol. Above the division name was another engraved image, this one of a dragon's head wreathed in flame; the sigil of the Great Noble House Drakken. As impressive as the craftsmanship of the archway was, though, it paled in comparison to what lay beyond it.

Visaelya could feel the power radiating from the three men that were representing her family's division again. At the peak, of course, was her uncle, who looked utterly in his element at the spectacle that was the Academy's recruitment exhibition. He stood tall and proud, practically the poster child for men of the Drakken Clan. His skin was immaculately cleaned, and not so much as a strand of that long silver-blond hair that the clan was so widely known for was out of place. His violet eyes were gleaming with energy as he fielded questions from what must've been at least a dozen students; most members of the Drakken Clan were quite at home being the center of attention, and Rhaegon simply took to it even more naturally than the rest.

Standing with him were Lieutenant Obran Dorrell and Third Seat Isshin Shiba. Like their Captain, both men were also taking and answering questions from visiting students, but Visaelya could tell that they also had another task; to keep the pupils at a safe distance from one of the greatest of the Drakken Clan's legendary beasts.

 _I'd heard that he would be bringing his personal mount_ , she thought, _I haven't seen it myself in a long time…_

As majestic as he was fearsome, Daeloron The Infernal, mascot of Squad Ten and the personal dragon of Rhaegon Drakken, loomed menacingly behind the Captain and his subordinates. At least a hundred feet in length, it was a miracle that there had been room enough for the rest of the exhibits in the courtyard given just how much space the great beast was taking up. Even curled up and resting, the fire-drake utterly dominated Squad Ten's exhibit, easily putting the archway to shame.

Ashen black scales dominated the creature's hide, although these became intermingled with red ones along his back and neck. Opening his enormous jaws to yawn, he revealed gleaming and dripping teeth that were each the size of a typical Zanpakutō. Flanking its long tongue were two fleshy tubes; these were the vectors from which the beast could unleash the great flames that its kind were so feared for. Its amber eyes had a mildly curious gleam in them as they idly scanned the students milling about the courtyard, and Visaelya sincerely hoped that her uncle had fed Daeloron prior to bringing him here.

Behind his eyes and running down his neck were a series of spines connected by thin layers of pinkish-red flesh. These would normally lie dormant, but whenever the beast felt threatened or wanted to make a display of dominance Visaelya knew that he would raise them, and she could speak from firsthand experience as to how they enhanced his already fearsome appearance. Further back where his neck met his shoulders were the roots of Daeloron's black and red wings. They were currently folded at his side, but she had seen before how massive they were when the dragon took to the sky; his wingspan was almost as great as he was long, and the shadows they cast beneath him while he was in flight served as a foreboding omen to those that were unfortunate enough to face him in combat. The dragon had no front legs, but rather a set of claws that were at the joints of each wing, allowing him to crawl along the ground or rend prey with when he wasn't using his vicious fangs. Near the base of the dragon's tail, which like his neck had rows of fleshy spines running down it, two legs as thick as tree-trunks and ending in feet with claws as long as Visaelya's forearm gave the beast the means to move about on the surface when it didn't feel like flying.

She glanced at Itachi, wondering what he might make of one of the crown jewels of the Drakken Clan. Even if she was leaning towards defying her family this day, that did not change the fact that she was proud of her clan and its contributions to the Soul Society, and she wanted its power and prestige to be properly demonstrated to her friend.

For his part, Itachi remained calm, although she saw his eyes widen ever so slightly as he examined Daeloron. "Fascinating…"

It certainly didn't match the dropped jaws and looks of awe in the eyes of the other students that were gazing upon the dragon, but Visaelya hadn't exactly expected such from Itachi. His subdued but still noticeable reaction was more than enough for her, and despite her earlier apprehension she could not help but smile.

"Not the largest of our great drakes," said Visaelya, "That honor goes to Rhygaron The Blood Wing, the personal dragon of the Drakken Clan's patriarch, my grandfather. However, Daeloron is faster and more cunning than Rhygaron, at least in my estimation."

Itachi nodded. "Our classes gave a cursory examination of your family's creatures, but to actually see one of them firsthand is… well, it'll certainly be memorable."

"That's one way to put it," said Visaelya as she steeled herself for the imminent encounter, "Well, let's go make our presence known, shall we?"

The two of them came to the archway, with Visaelya taking the lead. Of course, it didn't take long for her uncle and his subordinates to spot them; indeed, Visaelya was sure that they'd been tracking her movements ever since the recruitment exhibition had gotten underway. Politely dismissing the current batch of students that surrounded him, he smiled and spread his arms in a magnanimous greeting gesture. Much to Visaelya's relief, the warmth in his expression seemed to be genuine, and it gave her hope that perhaps he was willing to overlook her earlier visit to Squad Two's exhibit.

"My dear niece," he said as he strode forward and embraced her, "Oh, how long have I waited for this day!"

She smiled as she returned the hug. "It's good to see you again, Uncle Rhaegon… I mean, Captain Drakken."

He chuckled as he released her. "Visaelya, if I've already embraced you, I think you can safely assume that I'm dispensing with formality for this occasion!"

That was one of the things she liked about her uncle; he might've been proud and often overbearing, but he had a soft spot for those he considered close family. "I understand… Uncle"

He then turned to Itachi and held out his hand. "And you must be Itachi Uchiha. I've heard a great deal about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

Itachi nodded as he shook Rhaegon's hand. "Likewise, Captain Drakken. I believe the last time I saw you was the joint Hollow extermination operation between your division and Squad Two."

Rhaegon smiled. "Ah, yes, the one involving the Hollow nest just beyond the Rukon District's eastern borders. You were one of the students acting with our interception groups. If I recall correctly, word was that you gave a superb accounting for yourself by student standards."

"I simply did what I was trained to do," Itachi replied, "and I did not fight alone. Visaelya fought courageously as well in that encounter, and without her aid it might've gone quite differently."

Visaelya smiled at his praise, even though she knew quite well that he was covering for her. After all, she'd been the only one in their group to be wounded in that mission. She'd become the weak link, only surviving due to her friends defending her, not to mention Shisui's timely intervention.

 _ **You've become stronger since then**_ , the spirit of her Zanpakutō chimed in, _**and there is no shame on relying on help from your friends.**_

 _Perhaps, but I do not wish to become a burden to them. I will continue to increase my strength and repay them for what they've done for me._

 _ **I expect nothing less from you.**_

She'd grown much more accustomed over the past year to these mental conversations with her Zanpakutō. Now she could have them even in the midst of social gatherings such as the current circumstances without giving a sign of it to those around her. If nothing else, she was certainly proud of that bit of advancement in her abilities.

Rhaegon nodded. "Able to give credit where it is due, I see. A fine trait, and one that befits a leader. Your skills encompass more than just the fighting arts, it would seem."

He studied him carefully for a moment, and to Visaelya it seemed as if this was actually the first time he had seriously regarded him. Had he been so focused on getting his niece into his division that he'd actually ignored Itachi even though he was above her in the class rankings? Had he done the same with regards to Jiraiya?

 _Perhaps our family's pride truly is a double-edged sword_ , she mused, _I always believed my uncle to be the greatest Captain in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, but if he made such a mistake like this simply because he put greater stock in the Drakken Clan name than what his own eyes would've told him by paying attention to the student scores, then that would be a serious oversight on his part._

 _ **Not that you'll tell him that to his face.**_

 _Not here. It's not an appropriate setting for it._

For his part, Itachi simply nodded courteously. "You're too kind, Captain Drakken."

Rhaegon then turned to his subordinates. "If your memory's sharp, then perhaps you'll recall my Lieutenant and Third Seat, both of whom were also present during that operation."

Itachi nodded again. "Of course. It's good to see you again, Lieutenant Dorrell and Third Seat Shiba."

Obran smiled. "Likewise. I'll admit that I never caught much more than a glimpse of you that day, but from what I've heard it sounds like you have some serious potential."

"That's the word that's going around," Isshin chimed in as he gave Itachi an evaluating look, "If Squad Two's reports from that mission were accurate, then it seems that there's some truth to it."

"I don't know what Squad Two's reports regarding that operation had to say about me," Itachi replied, "I prefer to let my skills speak for themselves."

Isshin smiled. "Good answer."

Rhaegon chuckled. "Well, Itachi, I'm sure that you and my niece didn't come here simply to reminisce about an old mission! What do you wish to learn about the most exciting division in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads? Ask whatever it is you'd like; we're an open book, I promise!"

Visaelya actually knew quite a bit already about the division thanks to everything her family and private tutors had told her; her Academy education in that regard had really been redundant. Besides, they were ignoring the elephant in the room… or, in this case, the _live dragon_ in the courtyard.

"If I may be so bold, Uncle," she said, "I think it'd be best if we start with your division's mascot. I'm familiar enough with Daeloron, but I'm afraid that the same can't be said for Itachi. After all, the amount of exposure the Academy gives to our clan's dragons is quite limited."

Rhaegon beamed, which was hardly a surprise; Visaelya was sure that he never missed a chance to brag about his prized beast. "Well, who am I to say no to a request like that? What do you wish to know about the greatest dragon all the Soul Society, Itachi?"

Itachi studied the black behemoth carefully. "How do you manage to keep such a creature tame? I can only imagine the kind of damage he would do in a setting such as this were the mood to strike him."

Rhaegon gave a hearty laugh. "You're not wrong there! Daeloron's in his prime; even a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would be hard pressed to stop him should he go on a rampage. Fortunately, the Drakken Clan has a most comprehensive process for domesticating our dragons. Ever since he hatched, he's been exposed to my spirit energy, and dragons have remarkably keen senses when it comes to such things. In his early days he was certainly a willful creature, so exerting my spiritual pressure back then was an expression of dominance and intimidation. Of course, he still tried to press his luck, and he got a few firm lessons as to who was more powerful. To put it plainly, he's well-behaved because he knows better."

"And what about when you're not around?" asked Itachi, "He wasn't present during the joint operation with Squad Two, after all."

"We made sure he was well-fed before we departed," Obran answered, "A dragon with its hunger sated is a happy and content creature."

"Besides, we always have squad members assigned to keep an eye on him while the Captain's away," Isshin added, "They're not as strong as the Captain or the two of us, of course, but they're people that Daeloron's grown familiar with over the years thanks to the Captain training them. They know how to keep him calm."

Itachi nodded. "I see. What's his diet? Would I be wrong in assuming that he's carnivorous?"

"Not wrong in the least," Rhaegon replied, "His fangs and claws are proof enough of that, I think. Dragons will consume most kinds of meet, although each one eventually finds a favorite. Daeloron's no exception, and in his case, he has a particular fondness for seafood."

Isshin chuckled. "That's an understatement. He gets pretty enthusiastic whenever we're on a mission that's close to the ocean."

Obran smiled. "He's a magnificent sight to witness hunting. He'll circle over the waves for hours until he finds exactly what he wants. Typically, he'll go for either a shark or a dolphin. He'll swoop right down, pluck them from the water with his claws, and then toss them up in the air before making barbeque out of them. Then he'll take the meat back to shore and dig in."

It was a gruesome mental image, but one that Visaelya had long since grown accustomed to. After all, dragons were at the top of the Soul Society's food chain; all other creatures were fair pickings for them, regardless of Visaelya's personal fondness for some of them.

"I imagine he's as lethal against Hollows as he is against the creatures he considers to be his food," said Itachi.

Rhaegon grinned. "Oh, _yes!_ A dragon in battle is both a wonderful and terrible sight to behold, and Daeloron has plenty of experience in burning Hollows to naught but ash and cinders. His roar alone is enough to send the lesser specimens fleeing, and those that remain do not last long against his flames. Only Menos-level Hollows can stand up to a fully-grown dragon, and even then, Daeloron's more than capable of holding his own against Gillians. An Adjuchas might be a bit more of a challenge for him, but considering that when he goes into battle it tends to be with me riding upon his back, he never has to fight those alone."

Obran sighed. "Unfortunately, as tremendously useful as he is in battle, there are limitations on where we can deploy Daeloron. For instance, the Central Forty-Six has decreed that none of the Soul Society's dragons can be brought to any of the Realms of the Living under any circumstances."

Isshin shrugged. "It's a bit of a drag, but it's also one of their few rulings that actually makes sense. After all, a big guy like Daeloron can cause a lot of collateral damage, and it's not like his flames discriminate between Hollows, souls, and living people."

Visaelya nodded. "That seems like a reasonable concern."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "What about Hueco Mundo?"

Rhaegon seemed a bit taken aback by the question. "Well, there's no explicit decree forbidding us from taking him there, but since the Thirteen Court Guard Squads has no way to make incursions into the home realm of the Hollows it's a moot point."

"If you managed to change that, though, what do you think the Central Forty-Six would say with regards to bringing the likes of Daeloron there?" Itachi pressed.

Isshin gave him a thoughtful look. "Well, I don't know about you, Captain, but I think the big guy could wreak some havoc there."

Obran nodded. "A considerable understatement. Keeping him fed might be an issue, though; Hollows tend to dissolve pretty quickly when they're killed, and even if they didn't I have a hard time seeing Daeloron finding their flesh to be appetizing. We'd have to pack meat and bring it with us, not to mention keep it from spoiling."

"This is all a fascinating exercise in hypotheticals," said Rhaegon, "but nothing more than that."

"If that's the way you see it, then you lack vision," Itachi countered.

Visaelya's breath caught in her throat. Was Itachi seriously calling out a Captain not only to his face, but in front of his subordinates? She wasn't the only one taken aback by this turn of events; Isshin and Obran both did a double-take at that.

 _What in the name of the Soul King are you_ doing, _Itachi?_

 _ **Making things interesting, it looks like.**_

 _I do not find this to be amusing!_

A tense moment passed before Rhaegon burst out laughing. "I'd heard rumors, but I hadn't imagined… you _are_ a bold one, Itachi! Here I was thinking that the only student to look forward to meeting today was my niece. You're just full of surprises!"

Itachi was nowhere near as amused as Rhaegon appeared to be. "I hardly think it would be surprising to consider such a notion. Hueco Mundo is the home of our enemies, and just because it is not accessible to us at the moment doesn't mean that we should not make plans regarding it. A time may come when Soul Reapers find a way to break through in a manner that doesn't involve slipping through the Garganta opened by retreating Hollows. Should that day arrive and an assault on the home realm of the Hollows becomes possible, a dragon as powerful as Daeloron would be a crucial asset, even if it were just for a quick strike rather than an extended campaign."

Isshin looked like he was actually considering the notion. "It _would_ be nice if we could actually find a way to pull that off…"

Obran smiled. "You're right. We're almost always reacting when it comes to Hollows; it'd be nice to turn the tables on them."

Rhaegon nodded. "Yes. Creating a breach like that would likely require great advancements in spirit energy manipulation. It sounds like something the Kidō Corps could eventually tackle, although not likely a project that they could undertake anytime soon."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"They're a much smaller organization than the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," Isshin answered, "Put it simply, it's a matter of manpower and resources."

"Corps Commander Tsukabishi is skilled, as are his subordinates, but the Soul Society tends to keep them quite busy," Obran added, "Their work in defending the Seireitei and fighting against Hollows is no less important than our own, after all."

"Perhaps the Central Forty-Six could permit an increase in their numbers?" Visaelya suggested, "It certainly couldn't hurt."

"It couldn't," Rhaegon concurred, "but, then again, one could say that an increase in numbers is also owed to each division along with the Stealth Force. Ultimately it comes down to finding qualified recruits, and there are only so many of those to go around. It's unfortunate, but that's just how things work."

He then gave her a proud smile. "Besides, last I checked, you didn't come here to talk about the Kidō Corps. This is my division's exhibit, after all! I think we're getting a little off-topic here."

Visaelya sighed. "Yes, I suppose that's true."

For a moment, Itachi appeared like he still wanted to continue down the current track, but eventually he relented. "Very well, then."

"So, what else do you want to know about us?" asked Obran.

Now it was Visaelya's turn. "I know that Squad Ten's one of the frontline divisions, but does it have any specialized secondary roles?"

"We're one of the more versatile divisions," her uncle replied, "Our members are quite capable when it comes to either direct combat or Kidō support. You could say that our flexibility is what makes us special; if we're not called to deal with a threat ourselves, then we're usually assigned to work with another squad and provide cover in an area where they're lacking."

"We're a 'jack-of-all-trades' division," Isshin added, "Any environment or situation you can think of, we can adapt and handle it."

"A valuable trait," said Itachi.

Rhaegon nodded. "It certainly is. We're one of the more dynamic divisions of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; if something exciting's in the works, Squad Ten's likely to be involved in one form or another."

Visaelya smiled. "Good to know."

Rhaegon's smile grew. "We also have plenty of advancement opportunities. Prove your strength and you'll find yourselves climbing the latter quite quickly. If you want to hit the ground running, there's no better division for you."

He spoke as if he was addressing the two of them, but Visaelya could see through it; she knew that the message was meant primarily for her. It was a good pitch, but after her and Itachi's visit to Squad Two's exhibit and all that Yoruichi had told them it also felt somewhat lacking in effort. Perhaps he wasn't trying to give off such a vibe, but to Visaelya it seemed like he was taking her decision for granted.

Then again, couldn't the same be said for the rest of her family?

Her mother, her father, the clan patriarch; as far as they were all concerned, her course was already planned out. Glory and honor would await her, but it would all be tied to her family name.

And the more she thought about it, the greater her certainty became that it wasn't what she wanted.

She bowed respectfully to Rhaegon. "I appreciate you taking the time to speak with us today, Uncle. This has been most informative."

Rhaegon raised an eyebrow as he looked between her and Itachi. "No further questions from either of you?"

Visaelya turned to her friend. "Itachi?"

He shook his head, and there was a knowing look in his eyes; he could tell that she was ready to move on from both this display _and_ her family's connection to it. "I believe my curiosity has been sufficiently satisfied. Thank you, Captain Drakken; Lieutenant Dorrell; Third Seat Shiba."

Her Uncle seemed a bit taken aback by the abrupt ending of their session, but he composed himself quickly enough. "Very well, then. Enjoy the rest of the recruitment exhibition, and do not wander too far; I can assure you that messengers will be seeking you out soon enough."

 _I have no doubt of that, Uncle_ , she thought, _just as I no longer doubt what my answer will be…_

….

Jiraiya smiled as he approached Squad Eight's exhibit; the last time he'd seen Captain Kyōraku had actually been a little less than a year ago, when the senior officer had stopped by to congratulate him on the release of the latest book in his series. Having an avid fan of his work so high up in the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads was an advantage that Jiraiya certainly wasn't above making the most of, and in fact he'd been planning on visiting Squad Eight's display even before Unohana's recommendation.

 _If nothing else, this should at least be fun_ , he mused, _I'm not sure what the connection between Squads Four and Eight is that Unohana was speaking of, but I suppose I'll find out soon enough._

It wasn't hard to pick out Squad Eight's display from the others, and based on Jiraiya's previous interactions with Captain Kyōraku it certainly lived up to expectations. A bright pink banner with the characters for 'Squad Eight' written in black was hoisted high for all to see from a flagpole that was mounted atop of what appeared to be a kabuki theater stage. A small staircase built at the front led the way up to the Captain, who was sitting on a comfy pink cushion. The stage had a painted background consisting of cherry blossoms in full bloom, and there were even petals wafting through the air outside the painting around the Captain himself. It didn't take long for Jiraiya to find the source; Lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru up in the rafters with a basket that she was constantly reaching into and pulling fresh petals from. She didn't seem to be particularly pleased with this assignment if the scowl on her face was anything to go by, and Jiraiya idly wondered just how much longer she'd be willing to keep up the performance.

Apart from the Captain and his Lieutenant, the only other Soul Reaper that Jiraiya could spot was one that looked entirely out of place. For starters, she appeared to be far too young; were he still in the Shinobi World, Jiraiya would've pegged her as either an Academy student or a fresh Genin at the oldest. She certainly appeared too young to be even a freshman student at Shin'ō Academy, yet her robes were those of a full Soul Reaper. She had black hair that fell to about halfway down her neck, and like Squad Eight's Lieutenant she wore glasses, although hers were wider and her eyes were a darker shade of blue. Also, unlike either the Captain or Lieutenant of the division, Jiraiya could not see a Zanpakutō on her. However, her spirit energy, while far overshadowed by Captain Kyōraku and Lieutenant Yadōmaru, was considerable and indeed quite shocking for one who appeared to be so young.

 _Then again, I've only been in the Soul Society for six years_ , he thought as he evaluated the girl, _I've still got a lot to learn about the people who live here. This girl's just one more surprise that this afterlife's seen fit to throw my way…_

The Captain smiled as Jiraiya came up the stairs onto the stage. "Well, now, this is more like it! I was wondering when you'd pay my division a visit, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya grinned. "I would've come by sooner, but there was a lovely lady that I had pay my respects to first! I hope you won't hold it against me."

Shunsui chuckled. "Considering the lady in question was Captain Unohana, I'd hardly be in a position to do so."

Jiraiya smirked. "The funny thing is, she recommended that I visit you after I was done with her division's exhibit. Strange how that works out, don't you think?"

Shunsui gave a small laugh. "Strange is one way to put it."

Jiraiya then looked up at Kyōraku's and grinned. "Hello there, Lisa! It's been far too long!"

She gave him a curt nod. "As much as I might enjoy your books, Jiraiya, I insist that you call me Lieutenant Yadōmaru."

"Oh, come on now, Lisa," said Shunsui, "There's no need for formalities with our guest here!"

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't make me dump these blossoms on you, Captain."

Shunsui sighed and shook his head. "Oh, all right, then. I suppose we've got more important things to discuss, anyway."

"Maybe," said Jiraiya as he turned to the girl sitting next to the Captain, "but it'd be rude not to greet everyone here first. What's your name, little lady?"

The girl gave him a friendly, if somewhat shy, smile. "I'm Nanao. Nanao Ise. It's nice to meet you, Mister Jiraiya. I really like books, but Lisa won't let me read yours yet. She says I'm too young."

Lisa smiled down at her. "That's because you are. There's a time and place for everything, Nanao. I'll let you know when I think you're old enough for Jiraiya's books."

Jiraiya gave Nanao a friendly smile as well. "As much as I like to expose new readers to my material, I think your Lieutenant's right this time. Just wait a little bit, and I promise it'll be worth it."

Shunsui chuckled. "I don't think there's anything wrong with introducing her to them now. After all, she's got to learn about that sort of thing sooner or later!"

Lisa glared at him from on high before promptly flipping over the basket. A torrent of blossoms rained down, with the bulk falling on the Captain, although Jiraiya and Nanao weren't completely unscathed.

"Now why'd you have to go and do that, Lisa?" asked Shunsui as he attempted to clear out the pile of blossoms that he'd been engulfed in, "I went through a lot of work getting all of those for you."

"You know _exactly_ why," Lisa calmly shot back, "and you completely deserved it."

Nanao giggled. "Can you do that again, Lisa? That was funny!"

Lisa smiled at her again. "After we clean these up, I might dump them back on him later. That's only if you promise to be a good little girl, though."

Nanao nodded. "I promise."

"Good answer," Lisa replied as she hopped down, "Guess I'll clean these up… _this_ time."

Jiraiya leaned towards Nanao as Lisa got to work while her Captain looked on with a smirk on his face. "So, Nanao, what brings you to Squad Eight? I'm sure you're talented, but aren't you a little young to be a Soul Reaper?"

"Well, I actually applied for the Kidō Corps first," she answered, "I'm really good with spells, but not so much with swords. Captain Kyōraku came to visit the Academy one day before graduation, though, and after that I wound up here."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as he looked at Shunsui. "Is that so?"

Squad Eight's Captain smirked. "What can I say? I've got an eye for talent."

The look in his eyes was enough to tell Jiraiya that there was more to it than that, and also a hint that he didn't particularly feel like going into the details at the moment. That was fine; Jiraiya could shelve his curiosity for another day.

"Sure seems that way," he replied, "What's your rank, Little Nanao?"

Nanao shook her head. "I'm unseated."

"That'll change soon enough," Lisa chimed in, "You're just a bit too young for field experience at the moment, Nanao. Keep practicing your spells and you'll get the rank you deserve in time."

Nanao smiled. "Okay!"

Shunsui smiled as well. "You could say that Nanao's become something of a mascot for our division. That's why I brought her along today."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, I can't blame you there! Who can say no to such an adorable face, after all?"

Nanao blushed. "Mister Jiraiya…"

"Don't tease her, Jiraiya," said Lisa as she gave him a sharp look, "You'll answer to me if you do, and you won't like it."

Shunsui laughed. "Now, now, Lisa! Don't go scaring away such a promising recruit!"

Lisa folded her arms. "If he's going to be as ill-behaved as _you_ , Captain, then I don't think he's worth recruiting, remarkable finals scores notwithstanding. _You're_ a big enough handful as it is!"

Jiraiya gave her a wink. "Hey now, I can behave for a beautiful woman like _you_ , Lisa!"

"That's 'Lieutenant' to you!" she snapped as she hopped back up to the rafters again, basket of blossoms full once more.

Shunsui shook his head in amusement. "Fussing over rank aside, we really should get this moving along. I like you, Jiraiya, but I don't have all day to spend on this."

Jiraiya nodded. "Fair enough, then. Let's cut right to the chase."

"Sure thing," said Shunsui, "So, what do you want to know?"

"Let's start with the basics," Jiraiya replied, "I know that Squad Eight is another one of the combat divisions, but there's got to be more to it than that."

Shunsui grinned. "Well, if nothing else, we're a division that knows how to have a good time! We've got the best sake stash in all of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads!"

Lisa shook her head. "I know you pay for it out of your own pockets, Captain, but storing it all is still a gross misuse of the space available in our division's barracks. You need to cut back."

Jiraiya chuckled. "So, I take it that means Squad Eight throws the best parties in the Seireitei? It sounds like you appreciate the value of knowing when to unwind and loosen up a bit!"

Now Shunsui was practically beaming. "Ah, finally, a recruit who gets it! Sure, we take our duties seriously, but at the end of the day what are we fighting for if not for the chance to enjoy in peace the sweet little things that life has to offer?"

"How about the balance of souls and the very foundation of existence?" Lisa deadpanned.

Shunsui shot her a knowing smirk. "Lisa, there's no need to put on such a serious front for our guest here. I've seen you let your hair down and enjoy yourself in our division's parties on more than one occasion, after all."

His Lieutenant nodded, although she looked just a tad bit flustered. "I'm not opposed to relaxing and enjoying myself, but things need to be kept in perspective. After all, you're one of the senior Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, which means there are greater expectations of you and those under your command whether you like it or not. I like our parties, Captain, but I also want Squad Eight to shine in the line of duty."

Shunsui smiled, and Jiraiya detected more than a hint of pride in his expression. "I know you do, Lisa. I couldn't ask for a better Lieutenant."

She actually smiled at that. "Thank you, Captain."

"So, apart from knowing how to have a good time, what else makes Squad Eight special?" asked Jiraiya.

Lisa answered before her Captain could. "Those who cherish sophistication and elegance find themselves right at home in our division. We run a tight training regiment too, of course, but there's nothing wrong with looking good while you're slaying Hollows."

Shunsui nodded. "Couldn't have put it better myself. I suppose you're looking for something a bit more substantive, though."

"That's right," said Jiraiya, "Not that I'm opposed to putting on a show and impressing others while fighting, but shouldn't a division have something more to set itself apart from the others than that?"

"We tend to get quite a few recruits with high Kidō marks," Nanao chimed in, "We work really well with the Kidō Corps as a result."

"That's right," said Shunsui, "A lot of times, we'll provide reinforcements for them in the field, maintaining frontline defenses for them while they focus on spell casting. Our members can also provide additional casters should the need arise."

"Cooperation is crucial in such missions," Lisa added, "Our strong working relationship with the Kidō Corps is one that's been forged in fire; they trust us to keep the enemy at bay, and we trust them to provide the pivotal ranged support required to win the day."

Jiraiya nodded. "I can only imagine just how effective in the field your combined forces are. It must be an inspiring sight."

Shunsui chuckled. "You could say that. More than a few Hollows have been unfortunate enough to find themselves on the wrong end of our spells and swords."

Nanao smiled. "We have joint spell practice sessions with the Kidō Corps back at the barracks sometimes, too. They're really fun!"

"Especially when you get to show off," said Lisa, "Isn't that right, Nanao?"

Nanao looked down in embarrassment. "Well, I mean, it's not like I _try_ to show off…"

Shunsui laughed and patted the girl on the back. "You're too modest, Nanao! There's nothing wrong with wanting to show the others what you can do. It means you've got pride in your skills, and you're not the only one; Lisa and I are always happy to see how far you've come since leaving the Academy."

Jiraiya gave the girl a friendly smile. "You're really something special, aren't you?"

Nanao smiled sheepishly in return. "Maybe I am…"

"There's no 'maybe' about it," said Lisa firmly, "You're going to be a fine Soul Reaper once you've got more experience under your belt, Nanao."

Shunsui nodded. "Indeed, you will."

"So, is that the real secret to Squad Eight's strength?" asked Jiraiya, "A good balance of Kidō ability and skill in Zanjutsu?"

"It certainly doesn't hurt," Shunsui replied, "The Kidō Corps aren't our only partners that take advantage of our proficiency in spells, though. We've got a good working relationship with Squad Four as well. In fact, that's the main reason why Unohana sent you my way."

 _That_ piqued Jiraiya's interest, as well as his suspicion. "You two haven't been in cahoots since this exhibition began, have you?"

Shunsui gave him a mischievous smile. "And what if we have?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, then I for one want to know what the game here is. You going to let me in on the big, juicy secret now?"

"Not exactly a secret," said Shunsui, "or at least, not a closely guarded one. Like me, Unohana's another one of the more senior Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. We've worked together on quite a few occasions, and… well, I guess you could say that _you_ came along at just the right moment, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya leaned forward and clasped his hands; this was getting good. "Is that so?"

Lisa took that moment to chime in. "Consider this; thanks to their decision to concentrate all our healers in the Fourth Division, the Central Forty-Six has essentially put a bunch of very valuable eggs all in one basket. Think of what would happen if Squad Four was the target of a concentrated surprise attack."

Jiraiya already had an answer. "It'd be a disaster. Captain Unohana might be powerful, but most of her subordinates aren't fighters and she can't protect everyone. Without support from other divisions, it'd be nothing less than a slaughter."

Shunsui nodded. "You're right about that. Captain Unohana's well aware of this, which is part of why she's worked to forge cooperative ties between her division and others that are capable of defending her subordinates in the field. The risk of the healers getting wiped out in one fell swoop remains, though, which is why we've been trying to set up a special project… one that _you_ would be an ideal candidate for, Jiraiya."

"And what's that?" asked Jiraiya.

"We're normally supposed to wait for later to start throwing out recruitment offers," said Lisa, "but given the circumstances, I think we can be forgiven for bending the rules a bit."

Shunsui chuckled. "If the other Captains get angry, it's always easier to apologize once it's all over. Anyway, here's the deal; I've got an officer slot open with your name on it, Jiraiya. Since you don't have your Shikai yet, it's the 17th Seat in our division. Officially, you'd be much like any other officer of that position; you'd be responsible for leading teams in the field, hunting Hollows and performing the Konsō, and other such duties."

Jiraiya smirked. "What about _unofficially_?"

Shunsui leaned forward. " _Unofficially_ , when you're not carrying out your regular division duties or training, you'll be undergoing personal instruction from Captain Unohana in the healing arts. You teachers at the Academy have all noted that you have considerable reserves of spirit energy, meaning that you'd have the necessary power for both combat and support roles."

Jiraiya smiled. "I see where this is going. You want a field officer that can also be an emergency healer should one of Squad Four's relief teams not be close by."

"Exactly," said Lisa, "We'd be bypassing the regulations of the Central Forty-Six in order to do this, so secrecy is important. If those sorry excuses for judges had any common sense then we wouldn't have to resort to such measures, but here we are. Their bureaucracy and dogma will be the end of us all if it goes on unabated, so we're taking a proactive approach."

"Squad's Four and Eight are taking the initiative here," said Shunsui, "If we can make this work, though, then you can expect this model to expand to other divisions. Squad Four will still hold the bulk of the Seireitei's healers, but at least this way we'll be able to improve response times and ensure that not all of our eggs are in one basket."

Jiraiya nodded. "So, I'd be a combination of frontline fighting power and a first responder in the event that no Squad Four healers are close by. Interesting…"

Nanao smiled. "It'd be a very important role in the division. I wanted to do it myself, but the Captain and Lisa said that I need to work on my fighting skills first. Since you'll be able to cast spells and fight with a Zanpakutō, you'd be perfect."

That once again brought up the question of _why_ Nanao didn't have a Zanpakutō, but it was one that Jiraiya doubted he'd get an answer to at this time. He had something much more important to consider at the moment; was this an offer that he wanted to accept?

He found that it was. Of the three Legendary Sannin, Tsunade had been the renowned healer, so by taking on this role Jiraiya would get to understand her perspective a little more. It was clearly an important project for both divisions, and even if his starting rank would be relatively low it was actually a major opportunity to not only prove himself to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads but also to further develop his skills. How many times would more detailed knowledge of the healing arts have come in handy during his previous life? This was a chance to branch out of his comfort zone and learn new abilities which would likely be very useful out in the field.

Of course, all those considerations were secondary when compared to the fact that it would be Unohana _herself_ providing the instruction. Jiraiya knew full well his reputation for turning on the charm when it came to the ladies, but he hadn't been blowing smoke when it came to praising the beauty of the Captain of Squad Four. Not only that, but his brief interactions with her had shown that there was _much_ more to her than just her appearance. She was strong, intelligent and compassionate, but at the same time there was that shadow he'd caught glimpses of just below the surface. This would be a good way to gain further understanding of her, while at the same time he could still play to his strengths since he wouldn't be a full-time healer.

When all of that was considered, the choice was actually fairly simple. He doubted that he'd get an offer that was more tailor-made for him from any of the other divisions this day. Still, he didn't want to come off as too eager, and it might lessen the impression his would-be superior officers had of him.

Shunsui gave him a knowing look; the seasoned Captain could sense the gears turning in Jiraiya's head. "What do you think? I can't say for certain, but I doubt the other Captains would give you a pitch quite like this one."

Jiraiya smiled. "You're probably right."

"Can we take that as a 'yes', then?" asked Lisa.

Jiraiya smirked. "Well, how about this? The recruitment exhibition's still young, so I'd at least like to take in the other displays before the day's out. Once I finish my rounds, though, I'll come straight back here with my answer. You won't even need a messenger."

Shunsui nodded. "I guess that's fair enough. We're not going anywhere, and you really do only get to experience the recruitment exhibition once as a student, so you should make the most of this. Still, don't take too long."

"Tell us soon, okay?" said Nanao with a hopeful look in her eyes.

Jiraiya smiled as he stood up. "Oh, don't worry. You'll know my decision soon enough."

….

"That went much better than I had thought it would," said Visaelya as she and Itachi put Squad Ten's exhibit behind them.

Itachi nodded. Her fears regarding her family's expectations, particularly those of her uncle, had clearly weighed heavily upon her, but the former Shinobi had been confident in her ability to handle them. She hadn't disappointed him in the least.

"You were able to summon the strength to confront your doubts," he said, "You might've been apprehensive going in, but you had the courage necessary to hold your own and decide for yourself what path you want to take."

Visaelya smiled. "You make me sound much stronger than I felt back there. Honestly, I'm amazed I didn't pass out from the stress."

"Well, you made it through the flames of your trial," Itachi replied, "Your final decision is still before you, but from what I've seen I think you'll be able to make it with open eyes and conviction."

Visaelya nodded. "I'd like to think so. Even so, I appreciate your support. Were it not for you and Shisui… or even Jiraiya, for that matter… I doubt I would've come this far. I'd still be on the track my family wants me to be on, and I might not have found the courage to question it and look for another path."

Itachi allowed himself a small smirk. "Should I tell Jiraiya that you're in his debt? I'm sure it'd be music to his ears."

Visaelya scowled at him for a moment before breaking out into laughter. "Don't you dare! He'll never let me hear the end of it!"

Itachi chuckled. "Very well, then. Your secret's safe with me."

Visaelya smiled. "Let it not be said that you don't have a sense of humor, Itachi… even if it could use some work."

"If you're looking for humor from an Uchiha, you should try Shisui," he said, "He always had a better head for that sort of thing than most of our clan did."

"He does seem much more easy-going than you are," Visaelya noted, "No offense."

"None taken," said Itachi, "So, which exhibit do you want to hit next?"

Visaelya looked around. "Well, going to Squad Ten's display was my call, so I think it's only fair that the next one's yours. Do you have one in mind?"

Itachi scanned the courtyard for moment before his gaze found a sufficiently interesting target. "How about Squad Twelve?"

Visaelya nodded. "Sure. It'd be nice to see Captain Hikifune again, especially after our expedition to the barrow with her unit and Squad Two last year went so well."

"All right, then," said Itachi, "Let's go."

It might not have been hosting a live dragon, but Squad Twelve's exhibit was still quite impressive. The entrance consisted of what appeared to be a marble façade roughly one story high complete with a series of fluted columns. A small staircase was at the front, and as Itachi and Visaelya approached they could see that beyond the columns was a rather spacious chamber. Several ornate brass lanterns hung from the ceiling, and when the two advanced track students strode inside they found that they were illuminating a series of frescoes along the walls. Itachi didn't recognize the figures, but they all seemed to have a scholarly air about them. Some pondered scrolls or maps, while others appeared to be exploring ancient ruins. One image in particular caught Itachi's eyes; that of a vaulted haul illuminated with blue-green fire and being examined by Soul Reapers.

 _The Andunayan barrow_ , he mused, _I guess Captain Hikifune has fond memories of that expedition as well._

The violet-haired Captain was currently holding court at the far end of the chamber with several students. She seemed to be in high spirits and was answering the attendees' questions efficiently and enthusiastically. A few more Soul Reapers formed a modest perimeter, and Itachi assumed that they were some of her subordinates. One of them stepped forward, and the look on her face wasn't exactly welcoming. She was on the short side, and it wasn't hard to spot her Lieutenant's badge on the left sleeve of her Soul Reaper robes. Her blonde hair was worn in long pigtails and gave her a somewhat childish appearance, but if the irritation in her brown eyes was any indication Itachi doubted it would be a good idea to point that out to her. The Zanpakutō worn at her belt was by all appearances a rather conventional katana, with the only distinctive feature of its sealed state being the small hearts that decorated the tsuba.

"Great, more newbies," she grumbled as she approached, "Look, why don't you two flies buzz off, all right? If you weren't as blind as bats then you'd see that the Captain's busy. Scram."

 _Not exactly a people person, is she?_

He heard the spirit of his Zanpakutō giggle. _**Oh, like**_ **you're** _ **one to talk.**_

 _I can at least be polite. She's not even trying._

She folded her arms as she stood before them, her right foot tapping the floor impatiently. "Hey, are you two deaf? I said beat it! We've got enough pests around here as it is!"

Visaelya did a double-take at that. " _Excuse me?_ Did you just call us _pests?_ "

Itachi raised an eyebrow. " _Pests_ is the word that bothers you? She called us flies as well."

"Oh, good, you two _can_ hear," said the girl as she rolled her eyes, "Yes, I called you pests and flies because that's what you are. I can tell who's a good fit for Squad Twelve and who's not, and you two are definitely _not._ That's why I'm going to save the Captain some time; get lost."

Visaelya put her hands on her hips and glared indignantly at her. "That's not your call to make!"

The girl scowled. "Excuse me? I'm the Lieutenant of this division, so it _is_ my call to make!"

"I wasn't aware that a good Lieutenant went about sabotaging her Captain and division in such a boorish manner," said Itachi, "I thought that a proper Lieutenant would want to do her duty and make sure that her division picked up the best possible recruits."

The girl rounded on him. "You've got a lot of nerve, talking to me like that! I don't know how you wound up in the advanced track; you've clearly got more balls than brains."

"And _you_ clearly have too much of a chip on your shoulder," Itachi replied, refusing to be intimidated even if she was a Lieutenant, "You also lack the self-control required to put your duty before your temper."

The girl reached for her Zanpakutō. "Say that again, you smartass dipshit!"

She was stopped from drawing her sword by a pair of slender yet firm hands that suddenly gripped her shoulders. "Hiyori, are you being rude to guests again? Come, now, I thought I taught you better than that!"

The girl nearly jumped as she looked over her shoulder at Kirio. "Captain Hikifune! I… I was just…"

Kirio shook her head, seeming mildly amused. "I know you like have fun with potential recruits, but there's a difference between friendly hazing and scarring them off."

"It'll take more than the likes of _her_ to intimidate us," said Visaelya as she shot another glare at Hiyori, "No offense, Captain Hikifune."

Kirio smiled. "None taken. It's good to see you again, Miss Drakken… and _wonderful_ to see _you_ again, Itachi! I was wondering when you'd see the light and come my way!"

Itachi bowed. "It's good to see you again too, Captain Hikifune."

"It's been too long," said Visaelya.

Kirio was positively beaming. "Yes, it has. Please, come with me. We have so much to talk about!"

"Forgive me," said Itachi as he nodded at her Lieutenant, "but I believe that we're still owed a proper introduction."

Kirio's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, my, you're right! Hiyori, if you'd be so kind?"

The girl looked like she'd much rather not, but to Itachi's surprise she sucked it up and did as she was told. "Fine… I'm Hiyori Sarugaki, Lieutenant of Squad Twelve. Don't bother introducing yourselves; I already know who you are."

Kirio patted her on the shoulder. "There, was that so hard?"

Hiyori rolled her eyes. "Am I done, Captain?"

Kirio giggled. "I suppose you can take a break since I've been working you so hard today. I expect you to be back within half an hour, though, all right?"

Hiyori nodded. "All right."

She shot one last glare at Itachi and Visaelya before leaving the booth. Meanwhile, Kirio motioned for Itachi and Visaelya to follow her.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, "Hiyori's a gifted Lieutenant, but I'm afraid she gets rather impatient with other people."

"Did we do something to offend her?" asked Visaelya, "She seemed hostile from the moment she laid eyes on us."

Kirio sighed. "I'm afraid that might be my fault. Hiyori's still a bit sore about how you two and Jiraiya got to come with us on the expedition to the barrow last year while she was left behind on barracks duty."

"Is her personality part of the reason why you ordered her to remain in the Seireitei?" asked Itachi.

"Most of the reason, actually," Kirio admitted, "She's the jealous type, and I didn't want her trying to scare you off during the mission."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow as they came to a stop at the back end of the chamber. "What would she have to be jealous of? She's a Lieutenant; we're just students. Regardless of our abilities, it's not like we can compete with her on anywhere close to an even playing field based on where we stand right now."

Kirio gave them a surprisingly sheepish smile. "It's actually something a bit more… _childish_ than that. You see, she's originally from the Rukon District, and a rather poor section of it at that. She never really knew her parents, so when she came to my division I wound up becoming something of a motherly figure to her. As a result, I'm afraid she gets rather agitated whenever my attention becomes focused on someone else… as it has been on you gifted students in the leadup to today's festivities."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

Visaelya shrugged. "Well, she'd better find a way to get over it. This is the recruitment exhibition, so it's only natural that her Captain would have her eyes elsewhere."

"I'll talk to her later," said Kirio, "I know she comes across as abrasive and rude, but Hiyori's quite competent as an officer. She's very skilled in the arts of Hakuda and Zanjutsu, although her temper can be a liability there if a foe's intelligent enough to exploit it. She also has more than her share of field experience, and while it's true that I left her behind for the expedition to the barrow she's got plenty of other missions under her belt. Enough about her for now, though; that's hardly why the two of you are here, after all."

She smiled again as she spread her arms in a grand encompassing gesture. "Welcome to the exhibit of Squad Twelve! Squad Two might be the eyes and ears and knives in the dark of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Squad Four may patch our wounds, and other divisions provide the brute strength, but _we_ are the inquisitive _mind_ of the Seireitei! We seek ever to expand upon the collective knowledge of the Soul Society, for it is only in understanding the world around us that we are best able to protect it!"

"That's quite a mission statement," said Itachi.

Visaelya smirked. "You certainly don't lack for pride in your division, Captain Hikifune."

Kirio laughed. "Maybe it was a bit much, but I just can't help it! There's so much that we do for the Soul Society that a venue like the recruitment exhibition just feels like an insufficient way to really get the point across. There's so little time, and I'm only allowed a handful of resources and subordinates for this event. I suppose the best way to make up for those deficiencies is through unbridled enthusiasm."

Visaelya looked around the chamber. "Your display's certainly an interesting one. It really feels more like a hall for knowledge and learning than an exhibit for a group that's part of a military organization."

"Uniqueness is vital in a setting like this," Kirio reminded her, "We can't compete with Squad Ten's mascot for sheer shock value, so I designed our display to appeal to recruits that lean more towards the intellectual side of serving the Soul Society. So far, I'd say that it's working out quite well."

"It's a well-conceived setup," said Itachi, "but there's more to Squad Twelve than just being the scholars of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; the expedition last year was proof enough of that."

Kirio grinned. "Ah, I _knew_ you were a sharp one, Itachi! Yes, we're far more than just a bunch of academics, and our Zanpakutō aren't just for show. While maintaining the largest archives in the Seireitei is an important function of ours, we have our share of field duties, and many of those are rather unique when compared with the tasks set to other divisions."

"Like the barrow expedition," Visaelya commented, "Squad Two might've helped, but Squad Twelve was basically running the show."

Kirio nodded. "Yes, that's a superb example. Yoruichi's one of my favorite Captains to work with on cooperative ventures such as those; she recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of all parties involved, and she adapts her tactics accordingly. Her division's talent for scouting and stealth makes Squad Two an invaluable partner for our endeavors, although we do of course maintain working relationships with the other divisions. We can't rely just on one of our fellow squads for support, after all."

"Who else do you typically partner with?" asked Itachi.

"Squads Six, Eight, Nine and Thirteen when Squad Two's unavailable," Kirio replied, "Other divisions we'll work with to a lesser extent if we're pressed. If I had to pick a least favorite, it'd definitely be Squad Eleven. Too much brawn and too little brains, although Captain Starmont is something of an exception when compared to the bulk of his subordinates. At the very least, he has enough mental capacity to recognize that we're more than just a bunch of bookworms, which is far more than can be said for the rest of Squad Eleven."

Visaelya sighed. "That's rather shameful when one considers that Captain Starmont is from one of the Five Great Noble Houses. He should give the men and women under his command a better appreciation for the values of scholarship within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Kirio shook her head. "It can't be helped. Squad Eleven's focus is purely physical combat, after all. They serve their purpose just as we serve ours. That's all there is to it."

"If that's the case, then perhaps you could elaborate further on the purpose of Squad Twelve," said Itachi, "Apart from barrows of the old kingdom, what else do your field teams seek out in the expanses of The Wild and beyond?"

Kirio smiled. "Fist and foremost, knowledge of our enemies. In that respect, we're not so different from Squad Two, but while Yoruichi's division combines scouting with precision stealth strikes, Squad Twelve performs in-depth studies. Many members of my division perform what might be closer to nature observations for learning about Hollows. As intelligent as they can be, many of their behavioral patterns are closer to animals than that of humans. By suppressing our spiritual pressure and taking advantage of the environment, we can keep a low profile as we take detailed notes regarding the habits of Hollows. Their feeding patterns, territorial rivalries, how they hunt, where they seek refuge when they're not fleeing to Hueco Mundo; records on all these behaviors and much more are kept in our archives, and we expand upon them with every trip out into the field."

"Observation's all well and good," said Visaelya, "but what about direct engagement? Squad Twelve _does_ have combat potential, right?"

Kirio nodded. "Yes. Direct combat may not be our primary mission, but every Soul Reaper I dispatch on field missions is capable of defending themselves. We'll support the divisions we work with when it comes to eliminating Hollows, although our assignments are not typically centered around such work. We also conduct the occasional Konsō mission, particularly in the wake of large battles or natural disasters in the Realms of the Living."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Speaking of the Realms of the Living, what role does Squad Twelve have to play there beyond the roles you've already mentioned?"

Kirio grinned. "I'm glad you asked! Squad Twelve's records are not just focused on Hollows or the ancient history of the Soul Society; we're keen to learn as much as possible about the various Realms of the Living. In particular, we focus on determining which ones Hollows tend to favor and helping the Thirteen Court Guard Squads devise means to keep them in check, although we have other interests as well."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"The location and observation of mediums, for one," Kirio replied, "The Quincy that were once prominent in the major Realm of the Living known as Terra are just one example of such beings that can be found. It's vitally important for the Soul Society to keep track of all such individuals and orders, both to monitor prospective allies and also to keep abreast of potential threats."

Itachi nodded. "The method in which the Quincy exterminated Hollows removed them completely from the flow of souls, right?"

"Yes," said Kirio, "As I'm sure you know, if their form of Hollow hunting continued on a large scale for a prolonged period of time, this would eventually result in an imbalance of souls between the Soul Society and Terra. Even if Terra is only one Realm of the Living, its massive population when compared to other Realms means that what happens there often has major consequences for the greater Web of Worlds and the stability of the afterlife. In the case of the Quincy, their utter extinguishing of Hollows instead of the cleansing that Soul Reapers perform with Zanpakutō had the potential to disrupt the flow of souls to the point as to invite the apocalypse. This threat was dealt with, although the extreme measures taken are justifiably a source of controversy even to this day, despite the gravity of the situation at the time. Anyway, that's why the study of mediums in the Realms of the Living is so important; it's crucial for us to determine if there are others like the Quincy who could pose a long-term threat to the balance of the Web of Worlds."

"Or, alternatively, find much needed allies," Visaelya pointed out, "From what I've learned over the past six years, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads could certainly use all the help that we can get."

Kirio smiled. "As I mentioned earlier, that _is_ one of the reasons why we're so keen to track mediums. Oftentimes we get initial reports courtesy of our friends in Squad Two, but it's Squad Twelve that will then conduct the follow-up investigations. If friendly contact and relations can be established then naturally we strongly make the recommendation to the Soul Society to do so. Of course, the final decision on that matter rests with the Head Captain."

Suspicion wormed its way through Itachi's mind. "And if the Head Captain deems any newly discovered mediums to be a threat?"

Squad Twelve's Captain gave him a grim look. "Then they are dealt with accordingly."

"Even if they've displayed no hostile intentions towards the Soul Society?" asked Visaelya nervously.

Kirio sighed. "I know it sounds cold, but the balance of souls comes before everything else. When the very fabric of existence is at stake, harsh measures are unfortunately sometimes necessary."

"Does Squad Twelve take an active role in carrying out these measures?" asked Itachi.

Kirio shook her head. "No. That's typically left to the combat divisions. We are not innocent in such matters, though. After all, we _do_ supply the information that they act upon. I will not whitewash affairs like these; they're brutal, distasteful, and sometimes downright monstrous, but given the stakes we can't afford to leave things to chance. Oftentimes a snap decision has to be made if the threat is severe enough… or if it has the potential to someday _become_ a severe threat."

Visaelya shuddered. "How often do these situations come about nowadays?"

"Thankfully, much less now than in the past," Kirio replied, "The final campaign against the Quincies was over fifty years ago, and we were thorough. The mediums that we've discovered and monitored since then have all been little more than men and women with a modest bit of spirit energy dabbling with their powers. They're harmless enough, and in fact we try to take steps to protect them from Hollows where we can. After all, mediums are quite appetizing to those beasts, and devouring even one can considerably boost a Hollow's strength, so we have a vested interest in keeping them off the menu."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "Have you ever found any of these mediums in the Shinobi World?"

Kirio smiled. "Looking at your home Realm of the Living in a new light with all that you've learned since arriving here? To tell you the truth, we don't make it out much that way, and we really need to change that. I did some digging through the archives after I found out that you and Jiraiya were from there, and I was able to uncover a few reports of beings who appeared capable of detecting Hollows and spiritual beings like Soul Reapers. There weren't nearly as many as those found in other worlds, which was rather surprising when considering the kind of power the energy people of that Realm call chakra can grant."

Itachi was curious. "Were there any common factors that tied them together?"

"You mean beyond their ability to see spiritual beings?" asked Kirio, "Not particularly. They were all spread out over disparate areas, belonging to different cultures and practicing varying beliefs. Although…."

Itachi immediately seized upon her hesitation. "What is it?"

"A few reports mentioned something rather specific," she said, "The time between them was considerable, so I didn't connect them at first, but looking back I think that was rather sloppy."

"What are you talking about?" asked Visaelya.

"One account was several centuries old," Kirio answered, "Another was much more recent… in fact, it was actually dated around the time that you first came to the Soul Society, Itachi."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What did these accounts mention?"

"They spoke of two clearly separate and distinct individuals," Kirio replied, "The similarities were thus; strikingly high levels of the energy known as chakra, and strange eyes."

A chill went down Itachi's spine; the detail would be crucial, and he _had_ to know for sure. "What did they look like?"

"According to the reports, they were purple," said Kirio, "Much more interesting than the color, though, was the fact that within them were ripple-like patterns surrounding the pupils. It was such an odd description that I actually had to go back through the reports to make sure I was reading them right. Even now, it's still very strange to picture eyes like those."

Itachi nodded, his mind racing with this new information. "Yeah… I can imagine what your subordinates felt when they saw them."

Kirio's eyes narrowed. "You know what they encountered, don't you?"

"I do," said Itachi firmly, "A _very_ rare form of eyes in the Shinobi World. In fact, they were once believed to be no more than legends among my people."

"What was it?" asked Visaelya.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "The Rinnegan."

Kirio's brow furrowed. "The Rinnegan, hm? That's the first I've heard of that term."

"That's not surprising," said Itachi, "Like I said, it was rare enough that it was once thought of as nothing more than a myth. Suffice to say that it grants extraordinary power to whoever has it; the ability to see spiritual beings with those eyes would not be beyond the realm of possibility."

Kirio nodded. "I see. If you know what these eyes are called, then would it be a stretch to assume that you might know the beings who had them?"

"One of them, at the very least," said Itachi, "The being from the more recent report; was it a man with orange hair?"

"Yes," said Kirio, "My subordinate was, naturally, focused more on the eyes, but he did make minimal notes regarding the being's physical appearance, and orange hair was a part of it."

Itachi nodded. "I thought so. He was a colleague of mine when I was alive. He was incredibly dangerous; your subordinate did well just to recover the information they were able to gather and escape with their life."

Kirio sighed. "Unfortunately, that was all about all we were able to do. I tried to send others back out to actually establish contact, but every time they attempted to get close they perceived an unspoken threat coming from those eyes and kept their distance. This man didn't appear to be acting in a manner that posed a threat to the balance of souls, so at the time we didn't feel any need for further follow-up. Perhaps that was a mistake."

"What was this man's name, Itachi?" asked Visaelya.

"When originally I knew him, it was as 'Pain'," Itachi replied, "That wasn't his real name, though. I believe it was actually Nagato."

"Interesting," said Kirio, "Was he a Shinobi like you and Jiraiya once were?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… one of the most dangerous in the world. In fact… he's the one that killed Jiraiya, and was once a pupil of his."

Visaelya's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Completely," said Itachi, "Jiraiya will definitely want to know that you encountered him, even if it was only briefly. I'll pass the word along to him later. Have there been any sightings of him in the Soul Society?"

Kirio raised an eyebrow. "You believe he's passed on since we last saw him in the Shinobi World?"

"I do," said Itachi, "When I was temporarily revived, the ninja who did so had me under the same spell as Nagato; he'd died his first death some time after my initial arrival to the Soul Society, although I didn't realize this until the soul fracture was healed. I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say that Nagato's revival was undone before my own, and I witnessed his second passing."

Technically, that wasn't entirely accurate; Itachi had stabbed Nagato with his Susanoo's Sword of Totsuka, which had restored the young man's consciousness before supposedly sealing him away in a realm of drunken dreams for all eternity. Given what he had learned about the afterlife since his passing, though, Itachi had to wonder if that was what Nagato's ultimate fate had truly been.

 _The Sword of Totsuka is a spirit weapon, although it is quite unlike those we found in the barrow of the old kingdom_ , he mused, _When I died the second time, what happened to the souls that were trapped in the gourd? It was bound to my Susanoo, but since I passed on to the Soul Society for good, my Susanoo should've died with me. The souls in the gourd… perhaps they were released into the Soul Society upon my final passing. Whether that is for good or ill, though, is something I cannot say for sure…_

"I see," said Kirio, "Well, I've heard nothing regarding anyone in the Soul Society matching this man's description, but that's not surprising given just how vast it is. Even someone with a feature as distinctive as this 'Rinnegan' would be difficult to track down."

Visaelya rubbed her chin in thought. "What about the older report that you mentioned earlier? The one that goes back several centuries?"

Kirio sighed. "Beyond the description of the eyes, I'm afraid there wasn't much to go on. Unfortunately, whoever was running Squad Twelve at that time wasn't as careful with records maintenance as other Captains of the division have been; the parchment was faded, and despite restoration efforts there's only so much we can do to make poorly cared for documents legible."

 _Several centuries ago_ , Itachi thought, _I wonder… the timing combined with the eyes..._

"The Sage of Six Paths…" he muttered, more to himself than to his companions, "Is it possible?"

Kirio looked puzzled. "Sage of Six Paths? Who's that?"

"A historical figure in the Shinobi World," said Itachi, "Actually, 'legendary' might be a better term for it. The Rinnegan was first associated with him, and it was said that he was responsible for the creation of the Shinobi World in the first place."

Visaelya's eyes widened. "Wait, so he was some sort of god to your Realm of the Living?"

Itachi shook his head. "Not entirely. The world itself had already existed before he came along, so to think of him as some creator deity would be a mistake. Rather, it was he who first spread the teachings that allowed humanity to manipulate chakra, and that could be considered the root of the Shinobi World that Jiraiya, Shisui and I lived in. Supposedly, his power was extraordinary, thanks in no small part to the Rinnegan. That's actually part of why the Rinnegan was considered a myth for such a long time; there had been a long-running debate in the Shinobi World about whether the figure who had wielded it was historical fact or something that our ancestors had come up with in some past story to explain the founding of the ninja arts."

"Fascinating," said Kirio, "What side of the debate were you on, Itachi?"

"I didn't pay it much mind," Itachi replied, "At least, not until I met Nagato. After learning that the Rinnegan was in fact real, I had to reconsider many previous assumptions. Looking back on it all now, it wouldn't surprise me if the Sage of Six Paths _was_ real… and if the timing of that report you mentioned is any indication, then I believe that the bearer of the Rinnegan that Soul Reaper spotted might actually have been him."

"If that spotting was several centuries ago, then this sage must've passed on long ago, regardless of how powerful he was in your Realm of the Living," said Visaelya, "A being that strong in life would likely be power in death as well. Wouldn't the Soul Society have picked up on someone like that before now?"

"Not necessarily," Kirio countered, "Remember just how much ground there is to cover here. The Rukon District alone is impossible to patrol thoroughly due to its sheer size, and that's not even getting into The Wild. If this sage has not been found in the Soul Society, there are plenty of logical explanations for why that might be."

Itachi nodded. "That's true. If he wanted to be found, I imagine that would've happened by now. Either he's vanished on purpose, or perhaps his spirit's already gone back into the flow of souls and he's been reincarnated in the Shinobi World again."

Kirio shrugged. "It's all academic in the end, really. As fascinating as this topic might be, it's not why the two of you are here today."

Visaelya smiled. "You're right. It might be interesting, but it's only related to one aspect of your division. I'm sure that there are many unique mediums scattered throughout the Realms of the Living."

"Exactly," said Kirio, "If you join Squad Twelve, you'd have a chance to help us learn more about them. Hard to say no to thrill of discovery, isn't it?"

"That seems to be the spirit of Squad Twelve as whole," said Itachi, "Discovering new insights into the world around us. Would I be wrong?"

Kirio shook her head. "Nope, you've hit the nail right on the head. Glory in combat is not our way, but there is far more prestige in the acquisition of knowledge than the other divisions would have you believe. You two are exceptionally bright; I didn't need our field trip last year to know that. Your grades are clear indicators that you appreciate the value of scholarship in addition to the combat training you were given at the Academy. I cannot force you to decide on one particular path, but I can say that Squad Twelve would welcome both of you with open arms... and respectable starting positions."

Visaelya smirked. "Well, if that means offers will be coming our way before the day's done, then the very least we can do is take them into consideration."

"Agreed," said Itachi, "If nothing else, it's intriguing."

That was more for the sake of politeness than anything else; his mind was more or less made up by this point as to which division he wanted to join. Still, Itachi had to admit that the life of a scholar was an interesting alternative path.

 _Perhaps in another lifetime_ , he mused, _I hope you can forgive me for turning you down this time, Captain Hikifune._

Kirio smiled. "Well, as much as I'd love to snap the two of you up right here and now, I've no right to pull you into my division without giving you the chance to examine the rest. Go out there and explore some more; the recruitment festival is a banquet of knowledge in its own right for students such as yourselves, and you should feast until you've had your fill!"

….

Moving along at his own relaxing pace, Jiraiya had initially been indecisive as to which division he wanted to visit next. Squads Four and Eight had been the ones at the top of his list, and while he certainly wanted to check out the others he didn't have a particular order in mind. Squad Two would definitely be soon, not for the very least because it would give him a chance to visit the lovely Yoruichi and likely the feisty Soi-Fon as well, but he wanted to spice things up with a new division first.

And there was one that had caught his eye; Squad Eleven.

The division's display in and of itself was impressive, if not exactly original. Two rows of six stone columns had been set up, each topped with an iron granite bowl that housed a smoldering fire. The columns themselves had images engraved upon them, most of which were of warriors clashing with either each other or with Hollows in scenes of epic battle. Runes that reminded him of the Andunayan barrow were carved beneath them, and Jiraiya assumed they provided some context to the images. While he was mildly curious as to the history behind them, that was easily eclipsed by his interest in the exhibit's occupants

At the center, of course, was Squad Eleven's Captain; the ninth Kenpachi, Torrence Starmont. Although it was customary for every Squad Eleven Captain to replace their first name with the title of Kenpachi, it was rather difficult for this one to do so given that he was also the eldest son and heir of the Starmont Clan, the Great Noble House that ruled the far north of the Soul Society. Jiraiya had heard that his subordinates used the traditional title for him, but outside the confines of the division the man's name largely depended on who was addressing him. Naming aside, there was little doubt that the man was very much the image of both a rugged northern noble and the indomitable leader of Squad Eleven. Tall and very well built, with musculature that had been enhanced and refined through both rigorous training and heated battle, his appearance lent no doubt that he was first and foremost a warrior. His dark brown hair was long and, while groomed, still had a bit of a wild look to it, like it was less the mane of a man and more the untamed fur of a bear or wolf. His grey eyes had a fierce light in them, as if they were constantly searching for something to test his mettle against. The Zanpakutō that hung at his side was longer than most, taking on in its sealed state the form of a great _ōdachi_ with grey and blue hilt wrapping and a silver guard with wolves engraved into it. His spiritual pressure was suppressed in order to avoid harming any of the students, but even then Jiraiya could sense its distinctive characteristics; hot and volatile, rather ironic given that it was the energy of one that hailed from a clan known for its harshly cold homeland.

While the Captain was naturally at the heart of the exhibit, it wasn't hard for Jiraiya to pick out his Lieutenant amongst the other Squad Eleven officers gathered there. Even more imposing than his direct superior, at least on a purely physical level, Gosuke Kiganjō was a mountain of a man. Broad with built-up muscle, his Soul Reaper robes were open enough at the front to reveal a large patch of thick black chest hair. His complexion was quite dark, and his brown eyes and black hair only reinforced it. He had two spiked piercings below his lips, and overall his appearance was quite rough; if Jiraiya had seen him out on the street, it would've been easy to mistake him for a thug rather than a Lieutenant of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. His spiritual pressure was considerable even when it was being suppressed, and Jiraiya had to wonder just how much of a gap there was between him and his Captain. The Zanpakutō he wore was an interesting one, with a thick open ring at the bottom of the handle, complete with a small red tassel and a golden circle engraved into it.

The exhibit might've been focused on Squad Eleven itself, but Jiraiya's gaze was inevitably drawn to the very special guest that the Captain had brought to the event. If the division was trying to compete with Squad Ten's dragon, they were giving it all they had in the form of a being Jiraiya had not expected to meet in person this day. Behind the Captain and Lieutenant was an absolute giant of a woman, rivaling even the behemoth that was Kiganjō in height. Her frame, or at least what Jiraiya could make out of it, was almost pure muscle, and in her own way she was almost as menacing as Captain Drakken's pet. Clad in black leather armor with a gold harness rather than Soul Reaper robes, the arms and legs that remained exposed were almost as pale as snow. Dark boots of animal hide went up her knees, thick and lined with fur at the top. Her face was completely concealed by a menacing helmet that had small black wings coming out from the sides and two curved horns sprouting from the forehead. There was a pair of thick dark lips engraved upon the steel face of the mask, but they did not look inviting. Chainmail draped down from the helmet covering her neck along with a portion of her shoulders, as well as concealing whatever color her hair might've been. The eye-slits of the mask were rather small, but Jiraiya thought he detected a flash of cold silver behind them. The head of a double-edged axe peeked out from behind her waist, and Jiraiya was sure that the full weapon was every bit as intimidating as the woman who wielded it.

The most eye-catching feature of all, though, were the two enormous wings that seemed to envelope the woman. Even folded, they seemed to dwarf her, with their bent joints still well above her head. If Jiraiya had to hazard a guess, he was willing to bet that her full wing-span was twice again as long as she was tall. Their feathers were a mix of black, gold, silver and bronze, a mixture that was as beautiful as it was ominous. Far more impressive than their appearance, though, was the power that Jiraiya could feel radiating from them. It seemed to be suppressed much like that of Squad Eleven's Captain and Lieutenant, but even then, it permeated the air around her like an oppressive haze. Jiraiya could only speculate as to what her full-strength might be, but even with just this hint he was willing to bet that she could go toe-to-toe with a Captain when she cut loose.

 _So_ , he thought, _this is one of the famed warrior women of the north…_

 _A Valkyrie._

An ancient organization that predated not only the Thirteen Court Guard Squads but also the Andunayan conquest of the Soul Society, the Order of the Valkyries was quite unique as far as warriors in the afterlife were concerned. Part religious sect and part militant force, the Order was composed exclusively of women who had pledged themselves to protecting and serving both the lands of the far north and the Starmont Clan. Renowned for their fearsome abilities and incredible power, these proud and indomitable women were perhaps _the_ main reason why the unforgiving lands of the north could still be inhabited by humans, for it was they who had beaten back the Hollows in bygone ages and had given others a chance to settle in that harsh domain.

Fully-fledged Valkyries actually made up no more than a small handful of the Order's members, and from what Jiraiya understood thanks to the few mentions that they'd been given in class their numbers typically did not exceed single digits. The bulk of their ranks consisted of new apprentices, acolytes, temple guards, healers, lore keepers, and handmaidens. A woman was not considered to be a true Valkyrie until she'd been given her own pair of wings. The crafting of these wings was a closely guarded secret, but it was rumored that the power they were infused with allowed their wielders to go toe-to-toe with a Soul Reaper Captain's Bankai. Jiraiya didn't know if this was true or not, but if the spirit energy he could sense emanating from Squad Eleven's guest was any indication it was certainly within the realm of possibility.

His staring hadn't gone unnoticed; the Valkyrie's posture shifted ever so slightly as Jiraiya approached. His eyes met hers, and he recalled what the instructor in the meal hall had said earlier.

 _"As another warning," the instructor continued, "I would strongly advise not to openly stare at Squad Eleven's guest for too long, especially with regards to direct eye contact. That will be taken as a challenge, and it is one that I can assure you none of you would survive."_

 _It's not in my nature to back down easily_ , he mused, _but discretion would serve me well here. I'm not exactly at the point that I can challenge someone like her, at least not yet._

He casually shifted his gaze towards Squad Eleven's Captain. Out of the corner of his eye he saw some of the tension in the Valkyrie's frame ease up, and Jiraiya allowed himself to focus firmly on the man who ran the division.

Captain Starmont stepped forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as Jiraiya approached. "I was wondering when the top tier students would begin making their way here. Welcome to Squad Eleven's exhibit, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smiled. "So, I beat Itachi and Visaelya here? Good to know. It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Captain."

"Likewise," he replied, "I've seen the scores from your combat instructors along with the results of your finals. For a student, you demonstrate exemplary battle potential."

"Glad you noticed," said Jiraiya, "I'd hate to think that all my hard work was for nothing."

Captain Starmont actually smirked at that. "Hard work? Hardly. There's a difference between that and genuine talent for battle. Yours is definitely the latter. We're not supposed to make this inquiry, but rumor has it that you're from the Realm of the Living known as the Shinobi World, and that you acquired a considerable amount of combat experience in your past life there. Would there be any truth to that?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "You don't mince words, do you? Let's just say that there is and leave it at that."

The noble nodded. "Fair enough."

His Lieutenant grinned. "So, you can actually fight worth a damn?"

Jiraiya casually shrugged. "I'd like to think so."

"I'm sure you're aware of our reputation," said Captain Starmont, "Your spirit energy reserves are considerable for a student, but if you join us you should be prepared to only use it to enhance your physical battle prowess. We're not cowards who hide behind Kidō spells, and we won't accept those that do into our ranks."

"That goes for your Zanpakutō, too," said Kiganjō, "If you unlock its Shikai, it'd better be a melee type. Otherwise, you can hightail it out of here."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "I heard you guys had some strict rules about that sort of thing, but I didn't think they were that rigid. Don't you think you're missing out on potentially talented members if you're cutting off recruits like that?"

"Some might be of that opinion," the Captain replied, "Here in Squad Eleven, we know what we stand for. Since our division's founding, we've had only one purpose; to take the fight to the enemy with our blades. We might maintain barracks in the Seireitei, but the only place a true member of Squad Eleven is really at home is at the heart of a battlefield."

"We're all doomed to die," Kiganjō added, "Squad Eleven believes that our deaths should come gloriously in combat. Who wants to die of old age? Only weaklings go out that way."

"Something tells me you guys probably have a high turnover rate among your members," Jiraiya quipped.

Captain Starmont's gaze hardened. "Everyone who joins our ranks _knows_ what they're signing up for. As for those who might be under a false impression, they're free to transfer out whenever they'd like. There's no peaceful 'leave of absence' after a long career in this division; Squad Eleven is for warriors, and there's only one acceptable way for a warrior's career to end."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "Doesn't that cause problems for someone like yourself, though? You _are_ the heir to a Great Noble House, after all. It'd be awfully inconvenient for your clan if you died, no matter how glorious your demise might be."

"Arrangements have been made," the Captain replied gruffly, "I'm not my father's only son, after all. Besides, noble family politics shouldn't be your concern as a Soul Reaper, especially if you're looking at Squad Eleven."

Kiganjō nodded. "We don't have time for any of that court intrigue. The only thing that Squad Eleven concerns itself with is battle."

"So, I've noticed," said Jiraiya dryly as he glanced at the Valkyrie, "Is your guest of the same mindset?"

Starmont turned to the winged warrior and smiled. "I was wondering when you'd bring up Gunnr. She may not be a member of Squad Eleven, or even a Soul Reaper for that matter, but I can assure you that her fervor for battle is every bit as great as our own. It's why I invited her to this year's exhibition; who better to represent the north alongside myself than the Valkyrie known as the Mistress of War. Squad Eleven undertakes more than its share of missions in the north, so for us to fight alongside the Valkyries is not an uncommon occurrence."

Jiraiya regarded Gunnr carefully. He knew that wasn't her real name; one of the Order's customs was that any woman who became a full-fledged Valkyrie had to discard her past name and take on a new one. Gaining their wings was considered a transcendent moment, one which symbolically represented the death of who they had once been and their subsequent rebirth into their new life. It was a sign of utter commitment, one that was not made lightly.

 _I wouldn't mind knowing who she was before she claimed her wings_ , he mused as he studied her, _but I doubt that's something she'd divulge here._

"I'm sure it's an honor for Squad Eleven to host a Valkyrie at today's festivities," he said, "Of course, I'm willing to bet that the _real_ reason you invited her was so you'd have a way to compete with Captain Drakken's mascot. Am I wrong?"

The slight stiffening of the Captain's posture was all the hint Jiraiya needed to know that he'd hit the nail right on the head. Starmont could talk all he wanted about 'representing the north'; he was really just trying to one-up a fellow Captain, no matter how much he might try to deny it.

And he certainly _did_ try to deny it. "I don't know what you're talking about, Jiraiya. Valkyries are the pride of the north; they're not to be trotted out like prized horses to show off to others."

Much to Jiraiya's surprise, it was none other than the lady in question that undercut her host. "And yet that _is_ why you truly requested my presence, Lord Starmont."

It was a statement of fact, not a question, and Jiraiya couldn't help but notice a hint of displeasure in her voice. That was a shame, because apart from that her voice was absolutely lovely; low and smooth, buttressed by firm confidence. She knew who she was, what she was capable of, and that right now she was fulfilling a role that she considered to be beneath her.

The Captain bristled at her words. "Even if that _were_ the case, I would think that you might enjoy getting to leave the north for a little while."

Gunnr shook her head. "If that is your belief, then you know less of the Order than you should. The north is our only home, and it is the land we are duty-bound to defend. We do not belong anywhere else, least of all in some exhibit that's as much an exercise in vanity as it is for recruitment."

Jiraiya smiled. "You cut right to the chase, don't you? I like that in a woman!"

The Valkyrie turned her gaze towards him, and even through the small slits in the helmet he could make out enough of her eyes to get something of a read on her. He was surprised to find that she actually seemed more curious about him than anything else, which Jiraiya definitely took as a good sign.

"Your bold, for a student," she said after a moment, "Surely you were warned about me before you came here?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "One of the instructors might've mentioned something about you. If they thought it was going to scare me away from you, then they were wrong."

The light in her eyes brightened ever so slightly, and Jiraiya was willing to bet that behind that mask she was smiling. "So, it would seem. You do not lack for courage, if nothing else. That's certainly more than can be said for most of the students I have observed here today; they refuse to make even the briefest of eye contact out of fear."

Jiraiya laughed. "Well, they _were_ told that you'd take it as a challenge and that they should avoid picking a fight! I can't say I blame them; you might be holding back, but I can tell that you're packing an incredible amount of power in those wings of yours."

"While it is true that a Valkyrie would normally consider a sustained period of staring to be a challenge, we are not unreasonable," said Gunnr, "We enjoy polite conversation just like anyone else, and simple eye contact _is_ part of that, after all. We're proud, but we're not beasts, and we certainly have greater self-control than the likes of Squad Ten's dragon."

Jiraiya nodded. "Good to know."

She then folded her arms. "That being said, boldness without restraint is not healthy. You should be wary, Jiraiya, less you provoke a force that's beyond your ability to counter."

Jiraiya grinned. "Good advice, but I might not be able to follow it. Provoking powerful women is something of a hobby of mine!"

A very soft sound came from behind that mask, and Jiraiya did a double-take. Was this armored and winged warrior actually _laughing?_

"A _hobby_ ," she said, and this time he _definitely_ caught at least a giggle before she fully composed herself, "You're an interesting one… far more so than most men of the southern lands that I've met in the past."

Jiraiya smirked. "Oh, really? That's pretty high praise coming from a woman as powerful as you! Care to join me for a drink later? I'm sure I could find ways to keep you entertained!"

Gunnr shook her head. "I'm sorry, but the drinks that are served in the Seireitei are too weak for my tastes."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Too _weak?_ What exactly do Valkyries drink, anyway?"

"Come to the north sometime, and you'll see," she replied, "Besides, I'm afraid that I'm not here to mingle and carouse, regardless of their appeal or the one who's making the offer."

Jiraiya didn't take it personally; she certainly wasn't being rude about it, and in fact was turning him down much more gently than women had back when he was alive. "I understand. If I get a chance to visit the north after graduation, I might just have to come find you."

The glimpse of light in her eyes that he could see through the slits in her helmet looked rather amused at that. "If you have what it takes to make it to the Temple of the Valkyries, then you will have _earned_ the right to find me. The trek is not to be taken lightly, as many wayward travelers would attest. Should you prove yourself capable of surviving the journey, you may be deemed more than merely _interesting_ by my sisters."

Jiraiya grinned. "If that's a challenge, then you should know that you Valkyries aren't the only ones who know how to rise to meet one!"

Gunnr nodded. "So it would seem."

Captain Starmont cleared his throat. "I'm glad that you're not intimidated by my guest, but she is not the one that runs Squad Eleven, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya chuckled as he turned back to him. "Well, if you didn't want her to steal the show, then you shouldn't have invited her."

The Legendary Sannin could tell that he was wearing out his welcome; the Captain seemed much less keen on having him here now than he had been earlier. Had his pride been offended by Jiraiya seeing through his motives for having a Valkyrie as part of his exhibit so easily? Was he just insulted because Jiraiya was more interested in his guest than he was in his division? Either way, it didn't matter to him.

 _I suppose Squad Eleven's got its own charm_ , he mused, _but I'm afraid it's not one that really speaks to me. I came here more out of curiosity than anything else. I think I've learned all I need to about Squad Eleven today._

The Captain seemed to sense his line of thought. "Do you have any further questions for my Lieutenant or myself today, Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, I think I've got a pretty good idea as to what Squad Eleven's all about. I won't take up any more of your time."

He spared one last glance towards Gunnr before leaving, and he saw her shift to meet his gaze. The sage wished she wasn't wearing that helmet and mask; it would've made her much easier to read.

"I suppose this is goodbye for now, Miss Gunnr," he said, "Or would that be Lady Gunnr? I don't really know what titles you Valkyries typically use."

He thought he caught a glimmer in those silver eyes hiding behind the mask, and if he had to bet he'd say that she was smiling. "We do not keep titles in our Order, Jiraiya. The closest we have to them are the new names we take when we are granted our wings. Use my name freely, as I would use yours."

Jiraiya smiled. "All right, then. It was a pleasure to meet you, Gunnr. I can't say what the future holds, but I hope our paths cross again someday."

The Mistress of War nodded. "As do I, Jiraiya. I shall tell my sisters what I have seen here when I return to the north, and we shall keep our ears open for word of you exploits. If I've read you correctly today, I'm sure you will have great deeds to your name in due time. Your name will reach the north long before you do."

….

"Where'd little Miss Vissy run off to?" came a familiar male voice from behind him.

Itachi didn't need to turn around to know that Jiraiya was approaching him. "She went to the meal hall for some tea. She should be back in a little while."

Jiraiya smiled as he came up next to him. "Well, I can't blame her for wanting a little break. This is quite the fun day we're having, after all!"

Itachi couldn't argue with that. The recruitment exhibition was still in full swing, after all, and he still hadn't gotten through all the displays yet. It was so far beyond the runup to the graduation ceremony that had taken place at the Academy in the Village Hidden in the Leaves all those years ago.

 _Perhaps they should've instituted something similar_ , he mused, _Shinobi can follow many paths after graduation, much like Soul Reapers. It would be good for Genin to get a chance to sample certain Shinobi roles; there's not nearly enough of that in the Academy curriculum, or at least there wasn't back when I was attending._

"Well, what do you want to do?" asked Jiraiya, "Were you thinking of waiting for her to come back from her break?"

Itachi shook his head. "She said not to wait for her. I think she wants to finish touring the rest of the exhibits on her own."

Jiraiya nodded. "Fair enough. You feeling like doing the same, or do you want to mix it up? I wouldn't mind a partner if you're up for it."

"Sounds good," said Itachi, "Feel free to set the pace. I'm in no hurry."

Jiraiya smiled. "I guess we do still have plenty of time left."

The two of them idly wandered through the crowd with no particular destination in mind. Itachi scanned the surrounding displays while Jiraiya did the same, evaluating potential destinations just like they would mission objectives back when they were Shinobi.

"By the way, I've got some news for you," said Itachi, "It concerns a former student of yours… and a former colleague of mine."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Nagato? What did you hear?"

Itachi relayed to him the conversation he'd had with Captain Hikifune. As the sage took it all in, the ex-Akatsuki member could sense the gears turning within his mind.

"Orange hair, not red," he said after a moment, "You sure?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. Her report was quite specific on that front."

"I see," said Jiraiya, "So it was one of his Paths that her subordinate encountered, not Nagato himself. Still, if a Path could see a Soul Reaper, there's no reason why Nagato couldn't."

"Nagato never mentioned seeing anything like that when you were training him?" asked Itachi.

Jiraiya shook his head. "No, but he was very young back then. His Rinnegan was likely still developing; he didn't have nearly the same kind of power back then as he did when he killed me. It's possible that he gained the ability to see spirits with it much later on. Even though I was his teacher for a time, I'll admit that there's a ton I didn't understand about his eyes. Hell, even now I know that I still don't have a complete grasp of them; there's a damn good reason the Rinnegan was considered to be a legend, after all."

Itachi nodded. "You're right. He never gave any hints when I was in the Akatsuki that he could see beings such as Soul Reapers, but it's entirely possible that he simply kept that knowledge to himself. A powerful Shinobi doesn't reveal their secrets lightly, after all."

"That's certainly true," said Jiraiya, "I wonder if being able to see spirits when others couldn't might've played a role in who he became. To be able to sense the dead in a way that those surrounding him could not… that could've influenced the philosophy he ultimately came up with."

Itachi shook his head. "It's possible, but we have no proof one way or the other. His experiences in the Third Shinobi World War were powerful enough to serve as sufficient motivators; being able to see the dead may have played only a minor role in comparison to that, if it had any influence at all. Either way, it's a moot point now."

Jiraiya sighed. "I know, but still… I can't help but look back and wonder. He was my student, after all, even if it was only for a little while. I had a responsibility towards him, and I failed to give him what he really needed. If I'd understood more, dug deeper, then maybe he wouldn't have become Pain."

"You did what you thought was right at the time," Itachi countered, "What happened afterwards, and how Nagato reacted to it, was beyond your power to control."

Jiraiya chuckled ruefully. "Maybe, but… well, it's all too easy to second guess ourselves and try to find a way to change the past in our heads. I'm sure you know a thing or two about that."

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment as images of a fateful blood-soaked night flashed through his mind. "Yes..."

There was a somber silence between the two of them for a few seconds before Jiraiya nudged his shoulder. "Why don't we go check out that one? Seems as good a place as any."

Following Jiraiya's gaze, Itachi saw the display of Squad Five. It was rather modest when compared to the exhibits that had been put together by the other divisions, but it was still an intriguing one. The setup was simple yet rather elegant, consisting of a small banzai garden and a stone walkway that led straight to the senior officers. A white banner hung over the entrance with the division's insignia, the lily of the valley, emblazoned in black upon it.

It had been quite some time since Itachi and Jiraiya had last seen Captain Hirako, but the commander of the Fifth Division seemed to recognize them easily enough as he gave them a friendly nod and wave. Itachi responded in kind, but soon found his attention drawn away from the Captain and towards his Lieutenant, who appeared to be studying him quite keenly.

It was the first time Itachi had met him before, but right away he could sense that there was something different about him when compared to the other Lieutenants that he'd met so far. As far as appearances were concerned, his seemed plain enough; well-groomed brown hair, rectangular black-frame glasses over a pair of soft brown eyes, and a relatively average if somewhat on the athletic-side build. He wore the standard Soul Reaper robes, and his badge was tied to his upper-left arm. The Zanpakutō that hung at his waist looked like an ordinary katana with green hilt wrapping, while the only oddity was the tsuba, which was shaped like a hexagon.

 _Utterly ordinary at first glance_ , Itachi mused, _and yet… something's amiss._

A quick glance at Jiraiya out of the corner of his eye told Itachi that the Legendary Sannin had caught it too. The Lieutenant warranted closer scrutiny, or at least that's what Itachi's instincts were telling him. Why, though? After a moment's thought, Itachi realized it was the man's eyes that were the source of this feeling. The way they looked at him appeared to be more than just an officer evaluating potential new recruits. It felt like he was being viewed as something else… and it felt oddly familiar.

For the briefest of moments, a strange mental image flashed before Itachi's mind's eye. The man's body remained, but his face was replaced by that of another.

Orochimaru.

It was only for a split-second, and it would've been all too easy to dismiss as just a figment of his imagination, but Itachi knew better. He'd seen the way that the fallen Legendary Sannin had looked at him when he'd joined the Akatsuki; seeing him not as a human being, but as a test subject or target.

That was exactly how the man before him was looking at him now. He was much subtler about it, and of course it helped that his appearance wasn't snake-like as Orochimaru's had been, but it was there all the same. The look he was giving Itachi and Jiraiya now was that of someone evaluating new faces to see if they'd be of use to _him_ , not his division. A normal observer wouldn't have picked up on it, but the last thing Itachi and Jiraiya could be accused of was being normal.

The way the Lieutenant was looking at them wasn't the only hint that something was off with him. Taking another glance at Hirako, Itachi realized that the Captain of Squad Five's stance wasn't quite what it had initially appeared. To the majority of the attendees of the recruitment exhibition he probably seemed at ease, but there were enough hints in the way he carried himself for Itachi to come to a different conclusion. The way he stood might appear to be relaxed, but his footing was solid enough that he could react to an attack instantly. Also, Itachi couldn't help but notice that Hirako appeared to be making sure that at least one of his hands was never too far from the handle of his Zanpakutō. There was a certain distance between Captain and Lieutenant that wasn't like what Itachi had observed from officers he'd met before. It was as if Hirako were making a conscious effort to keep his subordinate at arm's length, although Itachi doubted most people would pick up on that.

 _A Captain that's wary of his own Lieutenant_ , he thought, _This isn't like Yoruichi and her Lieutenant; she appears to view him as simply an annoyance or an unwanted interloper courtesy of noble family politics. Captain Hirako and_ his _subordinate, though… it feels like he sees him as a potential threat. A threat to what, though?_

One thing was for sure; the fun and carefree air that had surrounded the recruitment exhibition up until now was gone, at least for Itachi and Jiraiya. They were both on guard, and Itachi was sure that the two veteran Soul Reapers they were approaching had picked up on it. How things would play out from here was an open question, but neither of them was about to walk away.

Shinji smiled as the two of them approached. "I was wondering when we'd get the chance to chat today. It's been a while."

Itachi nodded. "So it has. Good to see you again, Captain Hirako."

"Nice little setup you've got here," said Jiraiya, "Tasteful, but not ostentatious. Someone in your division has a good eye for this sort of thing."

Shinji smirked. "Well, as much as I'd like to take all the credit, I did have some help from my Lieutenant. Speaking of which, I don't think you guys have met before."

The brown-haired man gave the two of them a polite nod. "I'm Sōsuke Aizen. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance; Captain Hirako has spoken quite highly about both of you in the past."

Itachi turned to Shinji. "Is that so?"

Shinji shrugged. "Hey, what can I say? You two have been raising eyebrows ever since the Academy entrance exams six years ago. You showed promise back then, and your test scores have only served to reinforce that. Hell, you even managed to get back on track and impress the Head Captain after that soul fracture incident. You've had some high-profile eyes on you for quite a while now."

"Nice of you to butter us up like that," said Jiraiya, "but we don't need to waste time on flattery?"

Shinji chuckled. "Right to the point, huh? All right, then. I can play that game. What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with the basics," said Itachi, "What can you tell us about Squad Five?"

"Well, as far as organization's concerned, we pretty much follow the standard model," Shinji replied, "I'm at the top, Aizen's my Lieutenant, and so on from there."

"There's no need to make things too complex," Aizen added, "The format may be traditional, but it serves its purpose."

Maybe Itachi was imagining things, but it almost felt like the Lieutenant had all but spat out the word 'traditional'. What was it about that word that seemed to leave a bad taste in his mouth?

"Any special duties?" asked Jiraiya.

"Not to the extent of divisions such as Squads Two and Twelve," Shinji answered, "I suppose our functions are rather ordinary when compared to theirs. We fight Hollows, perform the Konsō, patrol the Soul Society, defend the Seireitei, and more."

"We keep a flexible mission profile," said Aizen, "We do have high standards for recruits, and all members are expected to excel at battle readiness."

Shinji smiled. "We're close to the top when it comes to rapid response times. Squad Two might beat us out there, but occasionally we can give Yoruichi a run for her money. No small feat when you're up against the Flash Goddess."

Itachi nodded. "I see."

"Your reputation's certainly a good one," said Jiraiya, "Even in the Academy, Squad Five is one of the units that held up by the instructors as a model division. You must've put in a lot of work in order to maintain that kind of image."

Shinji smirked. "When you're good at the job, people tend to notice. Usually it's Squad Six that gets that kind of praise. Nice to see that we can give them some competition."

"Captain Kuchiki's division always strives for perfection," Aizen added, "However, they can become a bit too rigid in their pursuit of it. Flexibility is invaluable, and we take pains to emphasize it in Squad Five."

"A good mindset," said Itachi as he studied Aizen carefully, "One that the Soul Society as a whole could stand to embrace a bit more."

Aizen smiled slightly. "Yes, I suppose it could."

His response might've seemed casually approving on the surface, but Itachi thought he sensed something more behind it. It was hard to say for sure, but it almost felt like contempt. Was it for Itachi, or was it for the Soul Society?

If Itachi had to guess, he'd bet on the latter.

Shinji sighed. "Plenty of our divisions see the value in that kind of approach, but the Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six are a different matter. They're about as flexible as ancient oaks, which is to say not very."

"So we've noticed," said Jiraiya, "The Academy instructors might try to gloss over it, but it's not hard to recognize that both the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Central Forty-Six are organizations that give a great deal of deference to tradition, maybe overly so."

Aizen's gaze shifted to Jiraiya, examining the Legendary Sannin with interest. "How might you act to address such an issue?"

Jiraiya shrugged. "I don't think I'm really qualified for that. I mean, I'm technically still a student, after all."

"Nothing wrong with thinking big and moving outside your comfort zone," said Shinji, "You're going to be an official Soul Reaper this time next week, after all. A little initiative will go a long way."

Aizen nodded. "Yes. I for one would very much like to hear whatever thoughts both of you have on the matter."

Itachi and Jiraiya glanced at each other, and it wasn't hard for the two of them to recognize what the other was thinking. Who was really running the recruitment here? Was it the Captain or the Lieutenant? What sort of answers were they looking for?

 _Best to play things close to the chest for now_ , Itachi thought as he looked at the Lieutenant again, _Especially around this one…_

He settled for something noncommittal. "That's difficult to say. I won't speak for Jiraiya, but at this point I don't think I have enough practical experience with the Thirteen Court Guard Squads or the Central Forty-Six to give a proper answer."

"Same here," said Jiraiya, "Sorry."

Shinji shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

"Perhaps another time, then," said Aizen.

A slight smile was on the Lieutenant's face. Itachi had expected him to look disappointed, but if that was indeed how he felt he was hiding it quite well. Was he perhaps amused instead? Maybe he had recognized Itachi and Jiraiya's answers for what they really were; a way to avoid revealing to him their true thoughts on the matter.

One thing was for sure; Itachi did not want to linger. If Aizen's own Captain held himself in a manner that suggested he was suspicious of him, then Itachi wasn't about to let his guard down. Anyone that could draw the watchful eye of a Captain was not someone to be taken lightly, and despite all the power Itachi and Jiraiya had wielded in their pervious lives they were still developing their new abilities in the afterlife. If there was a fight to be had, then for the moment their potential opponent was _way_ out of their league.

His Zanpakutō apparently felt the same way. _**Withdraw and regroup. This man's dangerous… extraordinarily so.**_

 _Why, though?_

 _ **I cannot say with any greater certainty than you can at the moment. Still, we should trust our instincts here.**_

Itachi wholeheartedly agreed. "Thank you very much for your time today. This has been a very enlightening experience."

Jiraiya smiled. "Perhaps we'll see you around after we join the active duty ranks."

"I'd like that," said Shinji, "You two certainly have a way of keeping things interesting."

There was a look of approval in the Captain's eyes, one that went deeper than what he'd just said to them. It was a look that indicated he recognized what was going through Itachi and likely Jiraiya's mind as well, and he was impressed that they'd caught on to his subtle unease regarding his Lieutenant without any verbal clues.

 _A potential ally, then… but against what?_

 _ **We'll have to find the answer another time. Let's get out of here.**_

Itachi bowed. "Farwell, Captain Hirako; Lieutenant Aizen."

Aizen nodded, the slightest hint of a smirk appearing on his face. "Until next time. Enjoy the rest of the recruitment exhibition."

 _I think enjoyment went right out the window the moment I met you…_

 _…and I think that_ you _are just as aware of that as I am._

….

Sitting off to the side of the courtyard, Visaelya tried and failed to suppress a yawn. She hadn't expected to be so tired from just wandering around between the displays during the course of the recruitment exhibition, but much to her surprise it was starting to catch up to her.

 _If this is enough to wear me out, how am I supposed to cut it in the field?_ , she thought, _I can't believe I'm getting tired from something like this…_

She shook her head. It wasn't the physical activity that was getting to her, even if she _had_ put in quite a bit of walking so far. It was simply stress. She might've become more determined with regards to which division she wanted to join, but that didn't mean that the repercussions of her upcoming decision would just disappear. If she went through with it, she was going to ruffle a lot of feathers; smoothing things over would be no easy task.

"Hey there!" said a familiar male voice, "Looks like someone's had enough fun for one day!"

Her eyes widened as Squad Two's Tenth Seat approached her; she'd been so distracted that she hadn't even sensed him. "Shisui! What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "I told you I'd come find you later, didn't I? Mind if I join you?"

Visaelya nodded. "Please, by all means. Still… shouldn't you be back at Squad Two's display? The recruitment exhibition isn't over quite yet, after all."

Shisui shrugged as he sat down next to her. "It's close to winding down… well, at least the public phase, anyway. The bidding war's about to kick off, and my Captain asked me to help her get a head start."

Visaelya's heart skipped a beat. "Wait… are you here with Captain Shihōin's offer?"

Shisui smirked. "Not quite. She wants me to take you to her in a little while so she can present that to you in person, and in private. She also dispatched Rija on a similar errand. You get one guess as to who she sent her after."

Visaelya didn't even have to think about it. "Itachi."

Shisui chuckled. "That was quick."

"It wasn't hard," she replied, "I take it she wants to present her offer to him first, and I'm next on her list?"

Shisui nodded. "Pretty much. I know it's not exactly fun to come in second, but she really does think highly of the both of you. Consider her dispatching me to keep you company as her method of getting the jump on the other Captains; she deemed you worthy enough that wanted to get the first crack at you, and I'm here to see that she gets it."

Visaelya smiled. "That's a great honor. It'll probably take my uncle by surprise; when I visited Squad Ten's display earlier, he seemed convinced that he already had me in the bag, so to speak."

"That'd be your uncle's pride working against him," said Shisui, "Just like Captain Shihōin suspected. No offense, but your uncle's easy to read."

Visaelya shook her head. "None taken."

A surge of warmth came to her face when Shisui put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you ready for this? The decision that you're about to make will impact your life in ways that you can't begin to imagine."

Visaelya took a deep breath, but her smile remained. "I am, and in no small part thanks to you. I wouldn't be here today if you hadn't saved my life, after all. I think the very least I can do is return the favor."

"That's a nice sentiment," said Shisui, "but don't feel like you have to join our division out of some obligation to me. If you're really going to do this, do it because it's what _you_ want."

Visaelya nodded. "I understand. How much longer do you think it'll be?"

"Well," Shisui replied, "if my instincts are right, I'd say the Captain should be meeting with her first recruitment target any minute now…"

….

As he walked with her, Itachi saw Rija give him an approving smile. "Every time I see you, it feels like you've grown. I still remember that joint operation with Squad Ten from two years ago like it was yesterday. You were just a fourth-year student then, but you more than held your own. Look at you now!"

Itachi had been resting when she'd initially approached him. He and Jiraiya had finished touring the rest of the exhibits a little while ago, and the sage had gone off on his own shortly afterwards. When Itachi had asked, Jiraiya had just smirked and told him it was about a job offer that was too good to pass up.

 _Whatever path he's going down, I suspect I'll get an answer soon enough_ , he mused, _I have my own path to consider now, and it would seem that I'm about to take the next big step down it._

Rija had already confirmed what Itachi had suspected when she'd come to find him; she was the escort Yoruichi had dispatched to bring him to her for her official offer. She hadn't told him herself what the offer was; Squad Two's Captain apparently wanted to save that for the in-person private meeting. Itachi didn't mind, particularly because he preferred to hear it directly from Yoruichi anyway.

"I don't think I've ever seen the Captain quite as excited about a potential recruit as she is about you," Rija continued, giving him a wink, "I can see why, too. Ability, intellect, looks; you've got it all!"

Itachi shook his head. "I still have much to learn."

"You're much further along than you think you are," Rija replied, "At the rate you're going, I don't think it'll be long until you start climbing the ranks. I could end up being your subordinate before we know it!"

"I doubt that," said Itachi, "You proved yourself to be highly skilled during the joint operation two years ago, and your Shikai is very impressive. I still have a long way to go before I could consider competing with you."

Rija smiled. "That's nice of you to say, but I know better. Captain Shihōin hasn't been shy about sharing your test results with those of us she considers her friends. Your growth during your time in the Academy has been nothing short of explosive. My rate of progress has been steady but incremental. I have no doubt that you'll surpass me someday… and I honestly wouldn't mind that. It was the same with Shisui, after all."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Rija nodded. "Oh, yes. I outranked him when he first joined the division, but I could already tell that he had potential. It didn't take him long to prove it and jump above me in the rankings. I made my peace with it; he's a solid leader and a very capable fighter, so I've got no issue with taking orders from him. I think it'll be the same with you."

"Perhaps," Itachi conceded, "but in the meantime, I'm quite willing to follow your orders while you remain my superior."

Rija grinned. "Sounds to me like you've already made up your mind when it comes to which division you want to join! The Captain was right to keep her eyes on you."

She stopped at the door to an unused classroom a moment later. "Speaking of the Captain… well, after you, Itachi."

She moved to the side, allowing Itachi to step forward and enter the classroom. A moment after he entered, he heard her slide in behind him before shutting the door. The widows were open, but it was already late afternoon and evening was approaching, so the light in the room was a bit dim. Itachi spotted Yoruichi immediately, sitting right on top of the teacher's desk with a warm smile on her face. Standing behind her slightly to the right was Soi-Fon, and she was studying Itachi quite closely.

"Six years…" said Yoruichi as her gaze met his, "Has it really only been that long? It felt a lot longer at times. Wouldn't you agree, Itachi?"

"Perhaps," he answered, "Time's flow is tricky. Years can pass in moments, moments in years, yet the flow runs only one direction all the same."

She smiled and hopped off the desk. She didn't Flash Step, yet she was standing before him in what felt like the blink of an eye. Itachi might've been taller than her, but the difference in height did not lessen his respect for her one bit, nor did it take away the fact that he knew just how massive the gap in their power was.

 _Power that she used to save my life_ , he thought, _To save an afterlife that I believed myself to be unworthy of…_

"You have no idea how proud I am to see you here like this today," she said, "I knew you had potential, but you blew past my highest expectations time and again. Not even the soul fracture could keep you down for long. I might've given you a helping hand to get you back on track, but you earned every bit of that and repaid me tenfold with your growth. Your progress has been nothing short of remarkable, Itachi."

"You're too kind," Itachi replied, "The only reason I survived long enough to reach this point is because of you. Had you not found Jiraiya and I that night, we would've fallen to the Hollows. Even after that, my recovery from the Soul Fracture was only possible because you acted swiftly and got me to Captain Unohana. I've been in your debt since the moment we met."

Yoruichi shook her head. "I understand why you might see things that way, but all I did was lend an assist or two along the way. You've walked this path with your own two legs. You _earned_ the right to be here, Itachi."

"To come so far and achieve what you have over these past six years is no small feat," Soi-Fon chimed in, her eyes narrowing, "Are you ready to take the next step? We have very high expectations for you, and intend to challenge you accordingly."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to prove myself worthy of the faith you've placed in me."

Yoruichi's golden eyes were positively gleaming with anticipation. "Well then, let me lay it out for you. It's no secret that I've wanted you in Squad Two since the night we met, and I think you're ready to hit the ground running. Join my division, and you'll be made Sixteenth Seat the moment you graduate."

Itachi prided himself on keeping his thoughts and feelings veiled, but even so he couldn't keep his eyes from widening ever so slightly. "The highest rank possible for someone who hasn't unlocked their Shikai?"

Yoruichi nodded. "I've got the opening thanks to a recent transfer, and I can't think of a better starting slot. With the way your abilities have been growing, I doubt you'll stay there for long; you unlocking your Shikai is just around the corner. I can feel it. Once that happens… well, I'm willing to bet that you'll climb your way up the ranks _very_ quickly."

Itachi's mind was racing with what this all meant. "What would my responsibilities be?"

"After orientation and getting you settled in, I'd start by running you through a few security patrols first to help you get the layout of the Seireitei down," the Captain answered, "Since Squad Two and the Stealth Force work closely together, you need to know this area like the back of your hand. Seeing as you're a quick study, though, I don't think that'd take too long. After that's when the _real_ fun begins!"

"Your patrols will shift to the Rukon District, The Wild and the Realms of the Living," said Soi-Fon, "You'll hunt Hollows either by yourself or under the command of a senior officer. Once you've gained sufficient experience, you'll be put in command of your own field teams, with membership determined by available personnel and the nature of your missions. You will also engage in scouting operations, becoming just one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads' many eyes and ears throughout the Soul Society."

"Don't forget internal security operations," Yoruichi added, "It won't just be Hollows that you'll be called up to fight. Criminals and rogue Soul Reapers will also be on the menu, and you could be charged with hunting them down at any time. You'll have to stay on your toes, Itachi!"

"Of course," Itachi replied, "What about when I'm not in the field?"

"For starters, you'd be responsible for maintaining your own training regimen," said Yoruichi, "Senior squad officers might help out from time to time, but for the most part you'll be dictating the pace of your growth."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Lady Yoruichi has placed a great deal of trust in your abilities and your drive to refine them. Do not dishonor her by becoming complacent!"

Itachi bowed. "I can assure you that I will not allow that to happen."

Yoruichi laughed. "Seriously, Soi-Fon, ease up a bit! You've seen his test scores and instructor remarks just like I have; you know he's got the discipline needed to keep himself sharp."

Soi-Fon shook her head. "With all due respect, Lady Yoruichi, I don't think you're taking this seriously enough. As your subordinates, our conduct reflects upon you as our commander."

"And none of you have ever given me cause for concern on that count," Yoruichi countered, "Well, except for Ōmaeda, but since he wasn't my pick he doesn't really count."

She then winked at Itachi. "I know you'll make me proud, but if you need a little additional incentive, then here it is; show me you're determined to improve yourself, and I might make the time to give you some _personal_ instruction!"

As good as he was at keeping himself calm and composed, Itachi couldn't help but feel his heartbeat pick up a bit at that. "I'll keep that in mind. It would be an honor to be taught by the Flash Goddess herself."

Yoruichi giggled and batted her eyelashes at him. "Buttering me up with my unofficial title? You've got quite the silver tongue, Itachi!"

It felt like she was playing with him, but Itachi couldn't stop the slight rush of heat he felt in his face. Why did she have such an effect on him?

 _ **I think we**_ **both** _ **know the answer to that.**_

 _Not now._

 _ **Killjoy.**_

His personal feelings for Yoruichi aside, the fact remained that this was the perfect starting position for him. Thanks to its connection with the Stealth Force, Squad Two was the division whose duties were most similar to that of Shinobi. He'd be able to hit the ground running and give the experience he'd acquired in his past life practical application. Not only that, but he'd be under the command of the Captain that had demonstrated the greatest commitment to his grown, and there was no doubt in his mind that despite her playful nature she wasn't joking about the prospect of personally training him.

What more could he ask for? This might've been just the first official offer he'd received today, but at this point he already knew that there was no point in waiting for the others. Squad Two had everything he wanted, so why drag things out for longer than necessary?

"It may be an unofficial title," he said after a moment, "but it's one that I have no doubt was well-earned… and I hope that I'll get the chance to see that legendary speed in action out in the field."

Yoruichi grinned. "You saying what I think you are?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. Captain Shihōin…"

She held up a finger. "Hey, what'd I tell you before? It's just Yoruichi unless the other Captains are around."

Itachi couldn't help but give a small smile in return. "In that case… Yoruichi, if you'll have me, I'd be honored to join Squad Two as your Sixteenth Seat."

Her eyes were ablaze with triumph as she held out her hand. "The honor's mine. Welcome to the division, Itachi."

"Thank you, Yoruichi," he replied as he shook her hand.

A playful light came to her gaze. "I've got the feeling that this'll be the start of something special! What do you think, Itachi?"

Once again, there was a slight rush of heat to his face, but Itachi didn't let that hold back his response. "I think you're right."

….

To say her uncle looked displeased was a mild understatement. For all his efforts to maintain the urbane demeanor that was expected of both a Captain and a member of one of the Five Great Noble Houses, Rhaegon Drakken's agitation and anger at what Visaelya had just told him were blatantly obvious. She'd expected him to react poorly to her decision, but she had at least thought he would keep his aristocratic composure.

She'd been quite wrong on that account.

His fists were clenched, and his violet eyes were ablaze with indignation. The output of his spiritual pressure hadn't changed, but Visaelya had to wonder how long that would last. Members of the Drakken Clan had a reputation for being as wrathful as their dragons when provoked, and while Visaelya had always thought her uncle above such impulsive fury it was clear that her assessment had been mistaken.

"To think that _you'd_ be the first…" Squad Ten's Captain hissed, his voice absolutely seething with anger and disgust, "You were born into the comfort and wealth of the greatest clan the Soul Society has ever seen, and _this_ is how you repay us? _Treachery_ from the daughter of my elder brother…"

His messenger had taken her to meet him in an empty classroom and had left after ushering her inside, so they had no audience. On the one hand, it was good that there were no outside witnesses to Rhaegon's decidedly _un_ -Captain-like display. However, Visaelya could not help but feel more than a little fearful; how far would her uncle go in his fury? It was the first time that she'd ever been concerned for her physical safety while in the presence of close family.

Despite her fear, she was determined to stand her ground. "I've already given my answer to Captain Shihōin. Upon graduation, I will be the Eighteenth Seat of Squad Two."

" _Eighteenth Seat…_ " her uncle repeated through grinding teeth, "The Eighteenth Seat… of that _witch's_ division? Eighteenth Seat of the _Shihōin Clan's_ squad? Just how determined are you to insult your family?"

Visaelya was appalled at what she was seeing. Yes, some members of the Drakken Clan took their rivalry with the Shihōin Clan more seriously than was healthy, but she'd always thought that her uncle was above the petty competition between their houses, or at least took it in stride. Had something changed… or had he _always_ been like this and had simply kept it hidden?

"I'm not doing this to offer insult to our family," she replied, "Taking a position in Squad Two as the start of my career as a Soul Reaper does not mean that I reject our Great Noble House. I'm simply doing what I feel will allow me to serve the Soul Society to my fullest potential."

"By taking a lesser rank in a lesser squad?" Rhaegon spat, "I kept the slot of our Sixteenth Seat open _specifically_ for you! You are a Drakken! Your path _must_ go through Squad Ten!"

Visaelya's gaze hardened. "The only one who will dictate my path is myself, _Captain_ Drakken. I _love_ my family, but I refuse to be defined my name alone any longer! I will serve the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a Soul Reaper in my own right. I will be recognized according to my abilities, _not_ according to my bloodline! I'm proud of my lineage, but I am _done_ with having my future dictated by my family."

Her uncle glared at her. "You're doing more than just disgracing our family here. I don't think that you fully comprehend the jeopardy that you're putting your future in."

"I'm taking my future into my own hands," Visaelya shot back, "If you think threats are going to stop me, then you're mistaken."

Rhaegon gave a theatrical sigh. "Even if that threat is to deny you your own dragon egg?"

Visaelya had suspected that would be the price for her defiance long before her uncle had brought it up. It was a heavy blow; all children of the Drakken line eagerly awaited the day that they would be deemed worthy of receiving the egg that would eventually hatch into their personal dragon. The gift of the egg had only been denied to members of the family on very rare occasions. Even if it was a consequence that she'd known was possible before making her decision, it was still one that she didn't take lightly.

She would not let it deter her, though. "If that's the price to pay for the freedom to decide my own destiny, then so be it."

Visaelya at least had the satisfaction of seeing her uncle's eyes widen in shock; clearly, he'd been expecting that threat to do the trick. "Well, then… it would seem that there truly is no swaying you from your folly."

"No, there isn't," she said with more than a hint of pride.

Rhaegon took a deep breath before nodding. "Very well. I shall inform the family of your decision. Don't expect them to take it well."

"I'm not," Visaelya quipped dryly, "Just as long as they don't expect to be able to stop me. Our family's powerful, but you know just as well as I do how this works; once a student has accepted a recruitment offer, only the Head Captain can overturn it if the Captain that made the offer does not rescind it. I may not be as familiar with Captain Shihōin as you are, but she does not strike me as the type of woman to renege on an agreement. As for the Head Captain… well, even _I_ know his reputation. He won't take kindly to our family interfering blatantly in matters such as recruitment."

Her uncle chuckled ruefully. "Yes… it would seem that your tutors were too good at their jobs. Fine. Let Captain Shihōin and Head Captain Yamamoto be the shields for this 'freedom' that you've come to value so highly. You will find it to be but a shade of the glory you could've known had you stayed true to your family."

Visaelya glared at him. "We'll see about that."

….

"So, I hear you snagged two out of the top three," came a familiar male voice from behind her, "Quite the haul, Captain Shihōin!"

Turning around, Yoruichi saw the leader of Squad Five approaching. A wry smirk was on his face, and given the topic he was leading with, she couldn't blame him.

She smiled as he came up to her. "You know, sometimes I amaze even myself. Itachi was the one I was gunning for from the start, but it was nice to get Visaelya along with him."

Shinji chuckled. "No kidding. I bumped into Captain Drakken a little bit ago. I don't think I've seen him that angry since you and Kisuke slipped laxatives into his dragon's dinner a few years back."

Yoruichi grinned. "Ah, good times!"

"Not for the guys who had to spend all week cleaning the Squad Ten barracks," Shinji deadpanned before looking around, "Speaking of Kisuke, where'd he run off to?"

"He's making a quick run to the Squad Two barracks," she replied as she gestured over her shoulder, "We can't move all this stuff in one go, after all."

The public portion of the recruitment exhibition was over, so all the gathered divisions were in the process of packing up their displays. Shinji had taken care of his relatively quickly, which didn't surprise Yoruichi; the simple setup he'd had meant it was pretty easy to close up shop once the day was done.

Shinji nodded. "I see. Well, when you get the chance, do you mind passing along a message to him? It's actually for both of you."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "All right, I'll bite. What's up?"

Shinji smiled. "I had the pleasure of having both Itachi and Jiraiya stop by Squad Five's display at the same time. They didn't stay too long, but we had an interesting chat. My Lieutenant was there too, of course."

Yoruichi's eyes slightly narrowed; she knew how Shinji tried to keep his Lieutenant at arms-length, and Kisuke had caught onto it as well. "How'd things go?"

Shinji gave her a smirk that was almost devious. "Those two are sharp… _way_ sharper than they let on. Their level of perception's nothing short of incredible."

 _In other words, they were able to catch onto Shinji's unease regarding Aizen, even though he tries to keep that under wraps_ , Yoruichi mused, _Itachi and Jiraiya… you two just keep on exceeding my expectations. I might've been focused primarily on Itachi, but Kyōraku landed quite a catch with Jiraiya…_

"Well, there's a reason why they turned so many heads during their time at the Academy," she said.

Shinji nodded. "No kidding. Anyway, just make sure that little tidbit finds its way to Kisuke, all right?"

"Leave it to me," Yoruichi replied.

….

On the surface, Squad Ten's Captain remained composed as he walked through the corridors of his unit's barracks. It would only be close associates who might recognize the signs of his agitation; the brisker than usual pace, the slight tension in his jawline, the occasional twitch of an eyebrow, and other subtle visual cues. Fortunately, his Lieutenant and Third Seat were overseeing the cleanup of Squad Ten's display, and the privacy of Rhaegon's office was just at the end of the hall.

Viewed objectively, this year's recruitment exhibition had gone quite well. A solid group of advanced track students had been persuaded to join Squad Ten, and when combined with the recruits he would gain from the regular students once assignments had been allotted to them the future of his division was secure for the time being. However, his failure to land any of the top three advanced track students, especially his niece, rankled him to no end and overshadowed what otherwise should've been considered a successful day.

 _I never saw this coming_ , he silently fumed, _When were the seeds of her treachery planted?_

It was a question that he continued to brood on as he slammed the door to his office shut behind him. In fact, it preoccupied him so much that he initially failed to notice that he wasn't alone.

"So easily flustered," came a deep male voice, "One might find your demeanor more befitting of a jilted lover than that of Squad Ten's Captain and a member of the Great Noble House Drakken."

Rhaegon whirled around, glaring at the figure standing by the window. Their back was to him and he wore a black cloak that concealed most of their features, but even through that a few details were discernible. The slightly bulky shoulders weren't of natural muscle, but rather from the plating of armor that was worn beneath the cloak. His overall figure was an athletic one, of average height but not to be underestimated; Rhaegon could think of more than a few Hollows who had learned that lesson the hard way.

"You came away without the prize you truly sought," the cloaked figure continued, "Is a spurned recruitment offer really all it takes to get such a rise out of you?"

"How did you know about that?" asked Rhaegon.

"Word has spread quite quickly," the man answered, "Your petulance in the matter has only accelerated that. I thought that your tutors instilled in you the value of keeping a cool head and maintaining your aristocratic demeanor. I imagine that they would be quite disappointed if they could see you right now."

"The one who's earned their disappointment is my sorry excuse for a niece," Rhaegon shot back, "Our family will not just let her betrayal slide."

"You're too hung up on a perceived slight," the cloaked figure countered, "and a minor one at that. Your niece's decision is regrettable, but it was always hers to make. You must simply adjust your plans accordingly. Adaptability serves a Captain much better than wounded pride."

"She's not just another recruit," Rhaegon insisted, "Drakkens who have become Soul Reapers have _always_ joined Squad Ten!"

"So she's the first to buck the trend," the man replied with a shrug, "If she wishes to make history in that regard, then let her. Remember to look at things with an eye to the long-term. Just because she has joined Squad Two does not mean that she will always be there. There is always the chance that she'll transfer divisions. Even if she doesn't, the Drakken Clan is large enough that I'm sure there will be fresh chances for you to recruit other family members into the division."

The cloaked figure's demeanor shifted slightly, becoming a bit tenser. "Besides, by obsessing over a member of your bloodline, you allowed the _real_ prizes to slip through your fingers practically without a fight. Squad Two didn't come out on top because they won over your niece; Captain Shihōin had her eyes on a much more powerful student, and her diligence was rewarded. Likewise, Squad Eight's Captain was also able to keep his focus and look beyond the family names of students, and as a result the second diamond in the rough will be in his hands once the graduation ceremony is complete."

Rhaegon scoffed. "You're referring to Itachi and Jiraiya? Their scores might've put them at the top of this year's advanced track, but without the power that flows in through a noble bloodline their careers will eventually plateau."

"If you believe that, then you're a fool," said the cloaked man, "The prodigy of the Uchiha Clan and one of the Legendary Sannin have potential as Soul Reapers that goes far beyond any the Academy has seen in quite some time. Dismiss them at your peril; _I_ will not make the same mistake."

Rhaegon folded his arms. "While we're on the topic of mistakes, I'm starting to wonder if your plan is one of those. The timetable's far too long; we can be ready to make our move far sooner than the century that you call for."

"When did this notion slip into your head?" asked the figure, "Have you so easily forgotten who the opposition will be? Your foe is not someone to be taken lightly."

"The Head Captain is powerful, but he's far from invincible," Rhaegon countered, "With the allies we plan to gather, we'll be able to challenge him."

"Not if you move too soon," the cloaked man argued, "There is a very good reason why I've counseled playing the long game. A premature strike is an invitation to failure and suicide."

"I'm not saying we make our move right away," said Rhaegon, "Rather, I think a couple decades is all that will be needed to gather sufficient strength. A century is overkill to say the least."

"Hardly," the figure replied, "After all, the Head Captain is not the only foe that we must contend with."

Rhaegon rolled his eyes. "Are you still obsessed with that old legend you stumbled across in my family's archives? This 'Sealed King' is nothing more than a fable those who were defeated nearly nine hundred years ago came up with to console themselves at the loss of their leader."

"No," said the cloaked man firmly, "It is far more than that. When your ancestors took part in the old war against the Quincies, they were quite diligent in recording their experiences for posterity. What I have found in the Drakken Clan archives has been most illuminating, and you would dismiss it at your peril. The Sealed King is real, and he is a greater threat to our plans than even the Head Captain. That is why a prolonged timetable is necessary; we need time to locate and dispatch this threat before it regains its full power. Only then should we turn our attention to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Central Forty-Six."

Rhaegon shook his head. "If this is a threat that your so concerned about, then wouldn't it be better to take the Soul Society sooner so that we can consolidate power and pursue it from a position of strength? Waiting a hundred years is folly!"

"You did not display such discontent with the plan I laid out to you before now," said the figure, "The source of it is more than just agitation at the failure to recruit your niece, isn't it? Who have you been speaking to? Your family's patriarch has been in full agreement with me, and I highly doubt that he's had a change of heart in recent days."

Rhaegon's eyes narrowed. "If you think I'm foolish enough to limit myself to a single advisor, then you're mistaken. You've served the Drakken Clan well over the past few years, but you hardly have a monopoly on long-term planning."

"So you've found another advisor, then," said the cloaked man, "One that, it would seem, would have you reach out before you are truly prepared to grapple with the foes before you."

"Hardly," said Rhaegon, "They just happen to think that a century of buildup is excessive, and I happen to agree with them."

"Is your father aware of this new advisor?" asked the figure.

Rhaegon nodded. "Yes. He may not be willing to speed things up yet, but there is plenty of time to change his mind."

"And plenty of time for me to keep him from committing the clan to folly and ruin," the cloaked man countered, "Don't let impatience undermine your ambition. I certainly will do all in my power to keep things on track. If that means I must counsel your father against your rashness, then so be it."

Rhaegon sneered. "Feel free to try. You yourself once told me that your power is currently a fraction of what it once was, and I know that's part of why you want to wait so long. This is about more than just rebuilding your own strength; this is about the Drakken Clan taking what is rightfully ours and ushering in a new golden age for the Soul Society!"

"I never said that this was about me," the figure replied, "However, if you try to challenge the Head Captain without my full power behind you, then I'm afraid that your efforts will be doomed to failure."

"So you say," Rhaegon shot back, "but with the force that we'll have behind us once our alliance with the north is finalized, I think we'll be able to prove you wrong."

"You're a long way from securing that alliance at the moment," said the cloaked man, "I know full-well that Lord Torland Starmont has been playing hard-to-get ever since your father began making overtures to him. It'll be quite some time before he's willing to make even a tentative agreement, much less an alliance. He's a cautious old wolf, but he wouldn't have survived for so long in the north were he anything less."

Rhaegon shook his head. "He'll come around. All that's needed to draw a wolf out is the right kind of meat. If it takes a few years to properly entice him, that's fine. I imagine we'll still be able to pull it off well before the century that your plan calls for has passed."

There was a moment of silence before the figure answered. "Perhaps. Even so, bringing the north onto our side will not guarantee victory, especially if you reach out too soon. Your new advisor is overly ambitious. Does he really serve your ends? It sounds like he has his own agenda."

Rhaegon chuckled. "And you don't? I hardly expect him to ally with us for nothing, and the same went for you when we first met. Everyone has their own interests. That doesn't mean that his can't serve ours."

"That's assuming his interests truly align with ours," said the cloaked man, "Without knowing who he is, I can hardly be assured that is the case."

"I didn't reveal your identity to him," said Rhaegon, "As a courtesy, I'm afraid I can't reveal his to you. Fair is fair, after all."

"Fairness has nothing to do with it," said the figure, "but I can already tell that I'm not going to get a real answer out of you. I'll pursue his identity on my own."

"I'd advise against that," said Rhaegon, "I don't think he'd take kindly to someone investigating him, and he's more formidable than he might first appear."

For the first time since their conversation had begun, the cloaked man looked over his shoulder. The cowl of his hood still veiled most of his face, but his eyes shone out from the darkness like beacons.

Violet beacons…

…with ripples flowing across them.

"So am I," the figure growled, "You would do well to remember that."

Before Rhaegon could reply, the man Flash Stepped out the window and vanished into the setting sun.

….

"How you holding up?" asked Jiraiya as he passed his friend a cup of tea.

Visaelya smiled as she accepted it and took a sip. "Better than I thought I would, all things considered."

"You stood up for yourself, choosing your own path against the one that your family wanted to force you down," said Itachi as he joined them, "Sometimes that takes more courage than going into battle."

Jiraiya nodded. "Your fate's your own now, Visaelya. As long as it's what feels right to you, we've got your back."

It was late evening, and the three of them were back in the student dorms. It was customary for a party to be held there after the exhibition was over and people knew what divisions they would be joining. A great spread of food had been laid out, drinks were flowing, and if Jiraiya had a complaint it was only that there was no alcohol.

 _Well, that should change after graduation_ , he mused, _After all, my new Captain seems like the kind of guy who has a proper booze stash hidden away somewhere…_

"I'm still a bit surprised that you won't be coming to Squad Two with Itachi and I," said Visaelya, "This is really what you want?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Yup. Don't get me wrong; it was tempting to follow you two, and I'm sure we'd have a ton of fun in Yoruichi's division together. It's nothing against any of you. This is simply the road I thought would be the most interesting to travel down."

"Even if you're not coming with us, congratulations are still in order," said Itachi, "Seventeenth Seat in Squad Eight is nothing to sneeze at. You must've really made an impression with Captain Kyōraku."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, not _just_ him. Don't forget the other part of the deal I told you about."

Visaelya smirked. "Personal lessons in the healing arts with Captain Unohana would be a great honor for any Soul Reaper, but for you they might actually be more dangerous than going out into the field if you don't mind your wandering hands!"

Even Itachi seemed mildly amused. "I know you took your chances with Tsunade and got a thrashing for your trouble, but Captain Unohana strikes me as considerably more dangerous to cross. I'd hate to hear of your untimely demise by her blade and lose a sparring partner as entertaining as yourself."

Jiraiya laughed. "Well, I can't make any promises! Sometimes the risk really _is_ worth the reward!"

Visaelya shook her head. "Ever the oaf, even on the cusp of graduation…"

"I'm assuming that Captain Kyōraku will still grant you some time for your writing," said Itachi, "If I recall correctly, he's one of the more prestigious fans of your work."

Jiraiya grinned. "You got that right! I'll still have my division responsibilities and my personal training to attend to, but he definitely gave the impression that he wants me to keep up my little series."

Visaelya rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I look forward to the next installment in the series, then," said Itachi before taking a sip of his tea.

The conversation died down as the three of them focused on their food and drinks. Jiraiya continued to smile as he took it all in. Who would've thought that, six years after his death, he'd be enjoying a party with a man that he'd once considered to be an enemy as they prepared to go their separate ways come graduation? The past six years almost felt like little more than a blur, and they were just the tip of the iceberg that was the afterlife he'd wound up in.

The party went on, and gradually students began to drift away towards their rooms for the night. Soon enough, Visaelya was among their number, yawning as she bid good evening to Jiraiya and Itachi.

"She's had a longer day than most," said the former as the young woman left the dining hall.

The latter nodded. "She'll be dealing with the consequences for longer than most as well."

"Do me a favor and keep on eye on her, all right?" asked Jiraiya, "At least, since the two of you will be in the same division, you'll be able to lend her a hand if her family tries to cause her trouble. She doesn't deserve that kind of grief."

"Shisui will be able to help out on that front as well," Itachi added, "Visaelya does seem to be rather fond of him, after all."

Jiraiya smirked. "I guess that's _one_ way to put it."

The Legendary Sannin looked around the meal hall, making sure that the remaining students weren't paying attention to them before turning back to the former Akatsuki member. "So, now that she's off to dreamland for the night, how about the elephant in the room?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "You mean what happened back at Squad Five's exhibit?"

Jiraiya nodded. "You got it. Glad I wasn't imagining things if you picked up on it too."

"Yes…" said Itachi softly, "It was subtle, but there all the same. The Lieutenant… something's not right about him. I think Captain Hirako's aware of it, too."

"I caught that, too," said Jiraiya, "That wasn't a man who's comfortable around his second-in-command."

Itachi leaned forward. "When I first saw him, the feeling I got… well, it reminded me…"

"Of Orochimaru, right?" Jiraiya finished for him.

The Legendary Sannin had the satisfaction of seeing his friend's eyes widen ever so slightly. "So… you as well, then..."

"Oh, yes," Jiraiya replied, "I knew Orochimaru for far longer than you did, after all. Appearance-wise, him and Aizen are night and day. However, that look in his eyes while we were at Squad Five's display… that felt all too familiar."

Itachi nodded. "He was sizing us up. Not as potential recruits, but as something else. Asset or liability, target or test subject, ally or threat… take your pick."

"He likely saw more than one," said Jiraiya, "It definitely wasn't the same kind of evaluation I got from the Lieutenants of other divisions when I visited their exhibits."

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "I couldn't get a solid read on his power. At first glance, he seemed to be projecting himself as a typical Lieutenant might, or at least one that's holding back their spiritual pressure in such a social setting. However… I don't think that's an accurate image."

Jiraiya's gaze hardened. "Agreed. There's an undercurrent there, one that runs _deep._ No wonder his Captain was nervous. It's impossible to judge his true strength, which makes him all the more dangerous."

"What do we do about it, though?" asked Itachi, "As of right now, we'd be punching way out of our league. Even after our power grows, that doesn't change the fact that he's a senior officer in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Even if his Captain's wary around him, he appears to be in good standing as a whole, or at least that's the impression I got based on how other students approached him. More to the point, all we have right now are just vague feelings of unease that we can compare with a threat from our previous lives. That's not exactly compelling, even if we're inclined to trust our instincts."

"Believe me, I know," said Jiraiya grimly, "We'll just have to keep our eyes open. Officially joining the Thirteen Court Guard Squads will at least give us access to greater resources; we can expand our knowledge of him and try to figure what's going on there beyond simply us having a bad feeling."

"What about the Captains of the divisions we're joining?" asked Itachi.

Jiraiya shrugged. "Yoruichi seems like she'd at least hear you out, although you might want to hold off until you've got something more solid than just a hunch. Kyōraku seems decent enough, although I don't know him as well as some of the other Captains that we've encountered over the past six years. I might need to bide my time for a bit. That's just my take on it, though. We'll be in separate divisions, so we'll act based on our own discretion."

Itachi nodded. "You're right."

Jiraiya smiled. "So, after six years, you and I are finally going our separate ways. It's been fun, Itachi."

"Yes," Itachi replied, "although I suspect it would be premature to call this the end."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Good point. You and Shisui are going to be searching the Rukon District for your clan, and I'm willing to lend a hand. We'll have to keep in touch so we can at least compare notes."

"Agreed," said Itachi, "Beyond that, our paths are our own. Where they take us from here… well, there's only one way to find out."

….

 **One week later…**

 _At least the speeches haven't been as long as I feared they would be_ , Itachi mused as he stood at the head of his class.

The spirit of his Zanpakutō seemed to be in full agreement. _**Ceremony and pageantry grow dull quite quickly. Even this has been hard to stay awake through.**_

 _You're falling asleep during my graduation?_

 _ **Could you really blame me if I did? You're about as bored as I am.**_

 _Fair enough._

It was true that pomp and traditional ceremonies didn't hold all that much of an appeal for Itachi, but he could still understand their place in the order of things. Graduating from Shin'ō Academy was a momentous occasion, especially when one considered the fact that death had been a distinct possibility during the field missions they'd gone on over the course of their education. They had passed through their trials by fire and otherwise, though, and now Itachi and the rest of his class stood here as one chapter of their lives came to a close.

It had been by the slimmest of margins, but he'd beaten out Jiraiya for top marks. Itachi wasn't about to let it go to his head, but he still allowed himself a small amount of satisfaction at having proven his abilities to the Academy faculty. Since Jiraiya was in the Number Two slot, he stood at Itachi's right, while Visaelya was to Itachi's left thanks to her placing in the Number Three spot in the rankings.

Apparently, Itachi's Zanpakutō wasn't the only one that was about to doze off; he saw Jiraiya try and fail to stifle a yawn. "Ah, man… could they hurry this along?"

"Quiet!" hissed Visaelya, "The Head Captain's still speaking!"

Indeed, he was, although it appeared the he was on the home stretch of his commencement address. Itachi was only halfway paying attention; his focus was on one of the officers standing behind Yamamoto. Not all of the Captains were attending the ceremony, but a few had apparently decided to put in an appearance, including the one that Itachi knew he wouldn't be here without.

 _Yoruichi._

His eyes met hers, and she smiled with pride and satisfaction. The light in her golden eyes radiated excitement, and Itachi could hardly blame her. After all, he was more than itching to take his place in her division and officially start his new career.

At long last, the Head Captain's address drew to a close. As the venerable commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads stepped aside, he motioned for the students to come forward. Itachi led the way, and they were greeted with applause from the assembled officers and Academy faculty.

They'd been given instructions prior to the ceremony, so Itachi knew that once they left the stage, they'd be greeted by representatives from the divisions that they were joining. They would then be led to the barracks of their respective squads, now officially Soul Reapers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

 _It's been a long road to get to this point_ , he thought, giving Yoruichi a small smile, _and yet, even now I know that my journey has only just begin. I look forward to taking the next steps with you, Yoruichi._

 **Author's Notes:** And with that, the Academy Arc comes to a close! I was tempted to go through the displays for every single one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads at the recruitment exhibition, but I figured the chapter was long enough as it is. I basically designed the whole thing as a combination of a convention/job fair, and it was quite fun to use it as a means for bringing more of the cast to the stage. Plots are afoot, one of our main villains has made his debut, and Itachi and Jiraiya are now officially Soul Reapers. Fun times are ahead; the story's only just begun!

Hope you liked the chapter. Please review, and see you all next time!


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Notes:** Hey there! Short chapter this time, or at least, short by my standards. This one's a pretty casual one, and as the title indicates it's mostly just to show Itachi and Jiraiya getting accustomed to their new routines as active duty Soul Reapers, although it does take a turn for the serious at the end. Things will start to pick up soon enough, this is just the official shift from the Academy Arc to the next part of the story.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Twelve: Settling In**

 _Here it is_ , thought Itachi as he stood at the main entrance to the Squad Two barracks, _My new home._

After the graduation ceremony, Itachi and his classmates had been given a brief window to change into their official Soul Reaper robes before being escorted to their assigned divisions. In Itachi and Visaelya's case, their escort had been a friendly face; none other than Shisui.

His old friend gave him a knowing smile. "You've been here before, but I bet it's different seeing it like this. After all, now you officially belong here!"

Itachi nodded. "I suppose it's still sinking in."

Visaelya smiled. "I know what you mean. It feels good, though. It's… liberating, being here now."

Shisui chuckled. "You might change your mind once our Captain starts putting you to work!"

Visaelya shook her head. "No. This is where I want to be. I'm ready for what comes next."

"Speaking of the Captain, where is she?" asked Itachi as he looked around.

"Meeting with an old friend of hers," Shisui replied, "She's got something special in mind for tonight's welcome party and it's taking her longer than she'd planned to put it all together, otherwise she'd be meeting us here at the gate. Don't worry; she'll give you all a proper greeting as head of the division soon enough."

"In the meantime, why don't _I_ welcome them on the Captain's behalf?" came a new male voice, loud and bellicose and more than a little on the smug side.

 _I have a feeling I know who this is_ , thought Itachi, _at least, I do if what Yoruichi's mentioned about him in the past is anything to go by…_

His hunch appeared to be supported by the exasperated look on Shisui's face. "Oh, for the love of…"

Sure enough, approaching the gate was a man with a Lieutenant's badge tied to his upper right arm. He was tall and bulky, with brown hair that was a bit curly on top while framing his face in long and well-trimmed sideburns. His Soul Reaper robes had a purple collar, and everything about the guy's demeanor screamed 'smug rich prick' to Itachi.

Visaelya's eyes narrowed as she studied the man. "I'm beginning to see why Captain Shihōin was not keen to have him attending the recruitment exhibition… or any of our field missions for that matter."

Itachi couldn't argue with her there.

Strutting forward, the man brushed right past Shisui and puffed out his chest in what he must've surely thought was an intimidating pose but struck Itachi as more buffoonish than anything else. "I am Marenoshin Ōmaeda, Lieutenant of Squad Two! Welcome to our glorious division!"

Itachi had to suppress a smirk as he saw Shisui roll his eyes behind the Lieutenant. "Nice to see that you could take time away from your schedule to give us a warm reception, Ōmaeda."

Marenoshin put his hands on his hips as he looked over his shoulder. "That's _Lieutenant_ Ōmaeda to you, Tenth Seat Uchiha! How many times to I have to tell you that before you get it right?"

Shisui brushed past him. "Too many for you to count. Anyway, pay attention; I need to introduce you to our newest officers. This is Sixteenth Seat Itachi Uchiha and Eighteenth Seat Visaelya Drakken."

Marenoshin smiled as he looked at Visaelya. "It's an honor to have a member of the esteemed Drakken Clan as a fellow officer. About time our division got some more noble blood in it. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Drakken."

"Charmed," Visaelya quipped dryly, "and that's Eighteenth Seat Drakken, Lieutenant; my position in the aristocracy has no bearing on my rank within Squad Two."

 _ **She's handling him well**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō noted with more than a hint of amusement.

 _Of course, she is. His family's a small fish in the ocean compared to hers. Besides, if she were easily intimidated, she wouldn't be here right now._

The Lieutenant seemed a bit taken aback by her response, although he recovered quickly enough. "Oh, I see… very well, then. I look forward to working with you, Eighteenth Seat Drakken."

He then turned to Itachi. "Another Uchiha… Itachi, was it?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. It's an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Ōmaeda. You more than live up to what I've heard about you."

Marenoshin grinned. "Finally, an Uchiha that can show some respect! I think you and I will get along just fine!"

 _ **How long until he figures out that you**_ **weren't** _ **complimenting him?**_

 __ _My bet is about a hundred years._

 _ **If we're gambling here, then I'll wager seventy.**_

 __ _What does the winner get?_

 _ **The right to say 'I told you so'?**_

 __ _Good enough for me._

"Are you here to show us to our new quarters?" asked Itachi.

"Actually, that's my job," said Shisui, "Hey, Ōmaeda, isn't it about time for you to give out the final orders to the Patrol Corps for this evening's rotation?"

The Lieutenant's eyes widened, and Itachi couldn't help but notice the smirk that appeared on Shisui's face. "Oh, you're right! I'd better get going! Please don't tell the Captain that I almost forgot!"

Shisui grinned. "My lips are sealed."

The Lieutenant vanished with a Flash Step while the Tenth Seat turned back to Itachi and the other new recruits. "Sorry about that. You all weren't supposed to meet him until later."

Visaelya sighed. "No offense, Shisui, but our Lieutenant almost makes me ashamed of being a noble. His bearing was atrocious!"

"Is he always like that?" asked Itachi.

Shisui shrugged. "To varying degrees. He's not all that bad once you get used to him. Turns out he's actually a pretty competent administrator when his head isn't shoved up his own ass, and he does a decent job at running the Patrol Corps. His pride could stand to be taken down a few pegs, but if he were completely unsuited for this job then the Captain would've found a way to give him the boot by now. He can be a bit much to deal with sometimes, but he _does_ have his part to play in making sure the division functions smoothly."

Visaelya looked skeptical. "Well… I suppose I'll believe it when I see it."

Shisui smiled. "Try to play nice; you _are_ going to be colleagues from here on out, after all. If he steps out of bounds, just tell Kisuke or the Captain and they'll sort it out. Anyway, come on; time to get you all properly acquainted with your new home."

He led the group into the barracks, stopping occasionally to introduce them to officers they passed along the way. Since Itachi had been here a year ago when he'd been drafted along with Jiraiya and Visaelya for the barrow expedition he already had a good idea as to the layout, but it was still nice to have his old friend giving them a more detailed tour.

After showing them to their quarters and giving them a little bit of time to make whatever personal adjustments to them that they felt were necessary, Shisui picked up right where they'd left off. In addition to everything that they had seen on their tour a year ago, the Tenth Seat expanded upon the facilities that were specific to Squad Two and the Stealth Force. There was an arsenal building that housed many weapons which would not have looked all that out of place in the hands of Shinobi, and Shisui assured them that they would get the chance to lay claim to some of them to augment their fighting abilities once they'd put in some work. Itachi could feel the traces of spirit energy emanating from kunai and shurikens that were hung on the wall, and he was looking forward to getting a chance to practice with them.

There were several interrogation chambers and holding cells concentrated in one building, and they were even shown the entrance to the notorious Nest of Maggots prison since it was on the Second Division's grounds. It was a suitably imposing sight, surrounded by a wide moat and wall, and accessible only by a wooden bridge. There was just one entrance; a cold steel door in the side of a rock wall. Itachi felt it was rather fitting.

 _It makes no grandiose statements about itself. It makes its purpose clear in a very blunt manner._

 _ **A pity that weapons are forbidden. I wouldn't mind the chance to take the measure of some of the scum they've got locked away in there.**_

 _I'm afraid you'll have to satisfy yourself with the Hollows and criminals that we'll be fighting out in the field._

 _ **I'm sure I'll manage.**_

It was already rather late in the afternoon when the tour had started thanks to the graduation ceremony and the trek through the Seireitei to get to the barracks, and the sun had crept lower and lower in the sky as they continued looking around the facilities. Itachi soon realized that this wasn't just Shisui giving them a chance to acclimate to their new environment; he was playing for time.

Visaelya leaned over to whisper in Itachi's ear: it seemed that she had caught on as well. "Do you think he's stalling for the Captain so she can get her big welcoming party ready for us?"

"That'd be my guess," Itachi replied.

"It'd be a good one," Shisui cut in, smirking at the two of them, "Right on the money, in fact."

Visaelya blushed. "I didn't realize you were listening… forgive me I sounded accusatory."

Shisui laughed. "It's all right, Visaelya! Like I said, you're completely right. The Captain's got something special planned, and she wanted me to buy her enough time to get it ready for you. Don't worry; you won't have to wait much longer."

By the time the tour came to an end, the late afternoon had given way to early evening. The sun had all but vanished, while a crescent moon and the first stars of the night were beginning to take its place. Shisui seemed to take that as his cue, because he suddenly led them towards the main training yard of the barracks.

When they got there, Itachi saw that the rest of Squad Two's officers had been assembled, and at the front of the pack was Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, and Kisuke. The Captain gave Itachi a wink before addressing the group as a whole.

"Hope you all enjoyed the tour!" she said with a grin, "Welcome to Squad Two, everyone! I'm Yoruichi Shihōin, your Captain and, for tonight at least, your party host! I'm pretty sure you all had your fill of formalities and pageantry at the graduation ceremony earlier, so why don't we just kick off the festivities right here and now?"

It was at that moment that Itachi heard something he hadn't had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time coming from behind him and his fellow recruits; the telltale hissing and fizzing of a fireworks fuse being lit. He turned around just in time to catch sight of a shell flying out of one of several dozen assembled tubes at the other end of the training yard, followed by a brilliant orange and yellow pyrotechnic flower bursting into bloom in the night sky.

While the gazes of his comrades lingered on the explosion, Itachi had already shifted his focus back to the source. Standing in the middle of all the mortar tubes almost like a priestess in the midst of a ritual was a rather striking woman. Her height was about average, but that was the only thing that was typical about her. She looked to be about in her mid-twenties or so, but Itachi knew that appearances could be deceiving in the Soul Society and was reasonably certain that she was older than what first glance might suggest. Her figure was athletic and toned, with a very prominent bosom being held back by a red robe that still exposed more than a fair share of cleavage. Her right arm appeared to have been amputated just above where the elbow would've been, and white bandages covered the rest, but it didn't detract in the least from her attractiveness. The left arm had a strange black tattoo on it; Itachi couldn't begin to guess at the meaning behind it. Her red robe was backless, and while a white skirt fell down to about her knees her midriff was exposed, and Itachi caught more than a few of his fellow male recruits openly ogling her. The fading light of the opening fireworks burst illuminated her long and messy black hair, and her green eyes were ablaze with excitement. Itachi caught sight of a sword with red handle-wrapping sheathed and strapped to her back, although given the woman's appearance he wasn't sure if it was a Zanpakutō or not. Her attire certainly didn't fit with that of a typical Soul Reaper, but at the same time Itachi could still sense her considerable spiritual energy.

 _Soul Reaper or not, she's not to be trifled with_ , he thought, _I wonder what her story is… and why do I feel like I should know her?_

She grinned as she called out to her host. "Hey, Yoruichi! You gonna introduce me or what?"

Yoruichi laughed. "I wanted to give you the chance to make your big entrance first!"

The woman smirked. "Well, I don't know if I'd call that last one 'big'; it's a pretty modest party popper compared to the rest of the artillery I brought out for tonight!"

"You'll get the chance to light off every last one of them before the night's through," Yoruichi replied, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Kūkaku Shiba, an old of mine and the pyrotechnic terror of the Soul Society!"

 _Shiba_ , thought Itachi, _I thought she seemed familiar; her spirit energy feels similar to that of Squad Ten's Third Seat._

Next to him, he saw Visaelya's eyes widen. " _The_ Kūkaku Shiba?"

Itachi was a bit puzzled by her reaction; he'd never heard the name before, but Visaelya clearly had. "Something I should know?"

"Well… there's a _reason_ Captain Shihōin called her a pyrotechnic terror," said Visaelya, "I heard that she almost burnt down her family's estate with one of her… _experiments._ "

"I heard that, Miss Drakken!" Kūkaku barked, although the smile on her face seemed to indicate that she wasn't all that offended, "It's not nice to whisper about someone right in front of them. I thought a daughter of the dragons' blood was supposed to be above that!"

Visaelya's face paled slightly. "I'm sorry!"

 _Is she really so fearsome?_

 _ **I think we both know the answer to that. I can feel her spirit energy just as well as you can, after all.**_

Kūkaku stepped forward, glancing at Itachi and Visaelya before looking past them towards Yoruichi. "Interesting bunch of recruits you got this year! You sure they're up for the wringer you're going to put them through?"

"I'll find out starting tomorrow," Yoruichi answered with a smile, "Tonight's not the time to worry about that, though. After all, it's a party, and you're the entertainment, Kūkaku!"

Kūkaku chuckled. "Fair enough. Time for me to get to work!"

She whipped out a quartet of shells with surprising grace, depositing each into their respective tubes with showman's flair. Each fuse was lit in short order, and a series of 'thuds' sounded as the shells soared up from their tubes before bursting moments later into a veritable rainbow of dazzling radiance.

"There's more than just fireworks on offer tonight!" Yoruichi called out.

Itachi and the rest of the recruits turned back towards her, only to find that she and her fellow officers had stepped aside to reveal a full spread of food. Fish and eel were being grilled, there were rice balls aplenty, beef pots were steaming, and there was plenty of everything to go around.

"Don't hold yourselves back on my account," the Captain ordered with a grin, "Dig in!"

Visaelya smiled at Itachi. "Well, who are we to say no to our new Captain?"

Itachi nodded. "You're right. Besides, I don't think we've had a chance to eat since before the ceremony."

Visaelya's stomach gave a growl that was audible even over the fireworks, causing her to blush with embarrassment. "Yes… best we address that quickly."

Itachi let her take the lead. As the recruits went to fill their plates, he saw several Soul Reapers come out of the barracks carrying picnic blankets which they quickly spread out over the training yard. Soon everyone was dished up and dispersed across the training yard, fresh recruits mingling with officers and unseated Soul Reapers alike. For his part, Itachi waited until most of the others had taken their seats; there was someone in particular that he was hoping to dine with this evening.

Sure enough, he saw that Yoruichi was sitting with Kisuke and Soi-Fon, but there appeared to be room for one or two more on the red blanket that they'd claimed. Seeing that Visaelya had already joined Shisui and Rija, he made his way over to the Captain and her inner circle.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked as he approached.

Yoruichi grinned. "Are you kidding? I was about to drag you over here myself!"

"We were hoping to have a chance to chat a bit before you started your new duties," said Kisuke.

Soi-Fon gave him a nod and a smile. "You're the highest ranking of our new officers; you've earned the spot we've saved for you."

"Thank you," said Itachi as he settled in.

They spent a few minutes munching away before Yoruichi nodded at their evening entertainment. "So, what do you think of Kūkaku?"

Itachi glanced over at the fiery woman as she sent another series of shells racing into the sky. "She seems rather… energetic."

Kisuke chuckled as fresh blossoms of multicolored fire burst overhead. "That's a bit of an understatement!"

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that she's actually a noble, what with the way she acts and all."

Yoruichi smirked. "The aristocratic lifestyle and Kūkaku were never going to fit well together. She's too much of a livewire for it."

"Visaelya told me that she almost burnt down her family's estate," said Itachi, "Is that true?"

Yoruichi laughed. "Oh, _yes_ , and I'm _never_ letting her live that down!"

"We _did_ try to warn her that her experimental mixture was too volatile," said Kisuke.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yeah, but that was never going to stop her from trying it out. She could've at least picked a spot other than the Shiba estate's courtyard, though."

"I take it her family wasn't thrilled about her foray into pyrotechnics," said Itachi dryly.

"That's putting it mildly," Soi-Fon quipped.

"They tried to get her into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a way of instilling discipline," said Kisuke, "She actually wound up in the same training class as me, Yoruichi, and Tessai."

Yoruichi gave a wistful sigh. "Those were some crazy times, weren't they? You know, sometimes I'm amazed that the four of us actually made it through the Academy with all the shenanigans we got up to!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "So, she was once a Soul Reaper, then?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Not quite. She actually went into the Kidō Corps with Tessai. She has a real knack for spellcasting, especially when it comes to attack spells. I'd say she was actually the strongest in the whole Corps apart from Tessai."

Itachi couldn't help but note the past tense there. "So, what happened?"

"She was reckless," said Soi-Fon, "Excessively so."

Kisuke chuckled. "That's one way to put it. She was a powerhouse out in the field, but back at the base she got restless quite easily. Formalities and paperwork didn't really sit well with her, and she never lost her taste for fireworks, even though that had been the whole reason why her family had enrolled her in the Academy to being with. Her knowledge of Kidō combined with her ever-growing pyrotechnic expertise drove her to undertake riskier and riskier experiments, all for the sake of a bigger and more colorful boom!"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Long story short, there was only so much that even Tessai could put up once he became the Grand Kidō Chief and Corps Commander. When one of her babies misfired rather spectacularly, it damn near took out the barracks in addition to claiming her right arm. The Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six threatened to come down hard, and the only way to avoid imprisonment was for Tessai to expel her. Fortunately, she didn't take it personally. Hell, they're still friends even now!"

"So she went into the fireworks business full-time, then," said Itachi as he watched her fire off another volley.

"Yup," said Yoruichi, "Her products are always in high demand; she's the best in her craft in all the Soul Society!"

Soi-Fon sighed. "She could've been so much more. If she'd actually applied herself to her training, she could've been head of the Kidō Corps herself someday, or at least the Vice-Kidō Chief."

Kisuke shook his head. "I don't think that really would've panned out long-term. Kūkaku's personality is as fiery as her products. Any rigidly structured environment like the Thirteen Court Guard Squads or the Kidō Corps would be a poor fit for her. It was only a matter of time before she left one way or the other."

"What's her place in the Shiba Clan?" asked Itachi, "How's she related to Squad Ten's Third Seat?"

"Isshin's actually her uncle, believe it or not," said Yoruichi, "He's the current heir to the family, so while the Shiba Clan might not necessarily be happy with Kūkaku's choices it's not the end of the world for them. She also has two brothers; an older one named Kaien and a younger one named Ganju."

"Speaking of Kaien," said Soi-Fon, "I heard a rumor that the Shiba Clan is going to have him enter the Academy within a year or so."

Kisuke nodded and glanced at Yoruichi. "I've heard that as well. Any truth to it?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Kūkaku brought it up when I was catching up with her earlier. If he's not with this year's entry class, he'll definitely be with next year's applicants."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "If he's Kūkaku's older brother and she's already been kicked out of the Kidō Corps, why hasn't he entered the Academy before now? If he's the eldest of the three siblings, wouldn't his family have enrolled him prior to her?"

"Normally, that _would_ be the case," Yoruichi admitted, "However, Kūkaku became such a handful that they had to shuffle things around a bit. While they shipped her off to the Academy, they gave Kaien special attention with the finest tutors the family could afford. They want to be sure that he'll succeed so spectacularly that he'll become the new face of the Shiba Clan's next generation alongside Isshin, so they're taking their time to thoroughly prepare him for what's to come. They don't want another Kūkaku, although personally I think she turned out just fine."

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "With all due respect, you _would_ say that, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi laughed. "Well, she _is_ my friend, after all!"

Kisuke smiled. "And a good one, at that. Sure, she's rambunctious, aggressive, and almost as volatile as her fireworks, but she's also fiercely loyal to those that are close to her. She values friendship and those she considers to be her real family more than noble titles, status and wealth. When the chips are down, she'll have your back."

Itachi nodded. "She sounds like quite a woman."

"You got that right," Yoruichi replied.

Her gaze went towards the sky as Kūkaku sent another volley racing into the night. A fresh rainbow of fiery blossoms bloomed above, yet Itachi found it hard to focus on the pyrotechnic artistry. The light from the exploding shells was dancing in Yoruichi's eyes, and when combined with the satisfied smile on her face it made for a sight that was far more entrancing than the fireworks.

 _ **Are you finally ready to start being honest with yourself?**_

 __The voice of the spirit of his Zanpakutō jolted him, although Itachi kept his reaction limited to just a few blinks. His eyes were still on Yoruichi, and he knew that his weapon had a point. The way he was looking at her now… how she had never been far from his mind since the night she'd saved his life… well, it was rather obvious.

He was attracted to her.

She was so unlike any woman that he'd met during his time in the Shinobi World. He'd met his share of beautiful and powerful Kunoichi to be sure, but none of them could hold a candle to her. He didn't know the full extent of her abilities, but from the few hints he'd witnessed over the past six years Itachi was sure that her true power would be nothing less than a marvel to behold. It wasn't just her strength and her looks that had drawn his gaze, though.

She was a capable and respected leader. She was intelligent and vested with great authority, yet at the same time she was quite friendly, even playful. She was a beacon of vitality the likes of which Itachi had never seen before, shining even in the shadows that the division and Stealth Force that she commanded called home. Had she been born in the Shinobi World, Itachi was sure that she would've become a truly fearsome Jōnin. In fact, it wasn't too hard to think of her as one right now; Squad Two and the Stealth Force seemed to be about as close to Shinobi as the Soul Society could get. He could easily have seen her as a colleague in his past life, and she was officially one now since he'd finally graduated from the Academy.

Skill, strength, brains, looks, energy and warmth… she had it all. More than that, she'd used it to _help_ him. Sure, she'd been nudging him towards her division in the process and had seen him as a valuable recruit, but that didn't change the fact that she'd more than once lent a hand to him when he'd desperately needed it. She hadn't just saved his life; she'd helped him find his footing in a strange and vast afterlife, and had given him the aid he'd needed to find the beginnings of a new path to go down, one that could potentially allow him to do the sort of good that he'd truly wanted to do so back when he was alive.

He'd been given a second chance, and he owed it all to her. In light of that, his attraction towards her was perfectly natural.

So why had it taken so long for him acknowledge what had been obvious for quite some time?

There was a somber answer to that. It even had a name attached to it.

 _Izumi Uchiha._

She was the first girl that he'd felt anything approaching romantic affection towards… and the _last_ , at least while he'd been alive. There was a very good reason for that, too; she had been his first victim the night he wiped out their clan. In light of that, it was hardly a wonder that he'd been so reluctant to see how his feelings for the woman that was now his commanding officer had been slowly evolving over the years.

 _ **Let it go**_ , whispered the spirit of his Zanpakutō in a surprisingly soft and gentle manner, _**You've been chained to that night for far too long now.**_

 __ _Those are chains that I'm fully deserving of. What I did was beyond any form of redemption, regardless of the motives behind it._

 _ **And yet you came to the Soul Society when you passed on, not Hell. Why do you suppose that is?**_

 __ _I doubt it'd be the first time there was a mistake like that in the afterlife._

 _ **Please: you just got through six years of learning about the Soul Society. You know how the sorting of souls works just as well as the rest of your classmates do. If you truly were the monster that you believe yourself to be, you would not be here… and I'm sure that a part of you other than me knows it. You're just afraid to recognize it.**_

 __ _Why would that be?_

 _ **You fear forgiveness. The chains that bind you to that night are a sentence that has become your cornerstone. It's defined you all these years. If you moved beyond it, you would become someone new. You're afraid because you don't know who the new you might be. You shouldn't be; the past six years alone should've given you a glimpse at who you have the potential to become, and I can tell you that that's a man you should not be afraid of. You have**_ **earned** _ **the right to become him.**_

 __ _It's too soon…_

 _ **No. You've tortured yourself for far too long. Your family didn't want this for you. Neither did Izumi.**_

 __ _Easy for you to say. You weren't there when I killed them._

 _ **I am a part of your soul. Your memories are mine, so I very much**_ **was** _ **there; you simply did not posses the knowledge required to recognize me at the time. With your parents, you delivered the quickest end you could. As for Izumi, you went to even greater lengths to ensure that she did not suffer. She felt no pain; she passed on in peace, and that was a blessing only**_ **you** _ **could grant her.**_

 __Part of him knew that the spirit of his Zanpakutō was right, but that still didn't change that what he'd done was still murder. He didn't deserve to be let off the hook that easily.

 _ **There are others out there that are far more deserving of blame than you. You were given an impossible choice, and I'm not the only one who recognizes that. You already told Jiraiya, after all, and he clearly hasn't shunned you for it.**_

 __ _The situation might not have been of my making, but the actions I took to resolve it were_ mine _. Regardless of the choice, I allowed myself to become the instrument of their destruction._

 _ **To save your village, your country, and the Shinobi World from what would've been an utterly devastating conflict. Your clan made its bed with their ambition and resentment; you and Shisui were the only ones to recognize their folly, and you did what had to be done in order to rectify it. If Jiraiya could recognize that after a lifetime of distrusting you, then don't you think that others could as well?**_

"Hey, Itachi? You okay?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly as he realized that he'd been staring at Yoruichi the whole time he'd been having his mental conversation with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. The Captain didn't seem to be uncomfortable about it; rather, she looked genuinely worried about him. Kisuke and Soi-Fon were looking at him as well, and Itachi could only imagine what they were thinking.

"Sorry," he said as he quickly looked down, grabbing a drink as he hastily composed himself. "I was… preoccupied."

Kisuke chuckled. "Zanpakutō talking your ear off again?"

"Something like that," Itachi replied before taking a sip.

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "You can't allow yourself to get distracted like that. You're an officer of Squad Two now, which means that you must be vigilant at all times."

"Hey," Yoruichi cut in as she put her hand on her bodyguard's shoulder, "Ease up on him a bit, all right? It's his first night in his new division after graduation; it's only natural for Itachi to have a lot on his mind."

Soi-Fon sighed. "If that's what you wish, Lady Yoruichi."

She turned her attention back to Itachi, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the surprisingly gentle smile on her face. "Anything you want to get off your chest?"

 _ **As a matter of fact, I can think of a few things.**_

 __ _Not here. Not now._

 _ **Then when?**_

 __That was a good question, and it was one that Itachi didn't have an answer for.

He shook his head, although his refusal was surprisingly hesitant. "It's… nothing."

The Captain's eyes narrowed slightly; she clearly wasn't buying it. "Are you sure? I don't mind breaking away from the festivities for a few minutes if you want to talk."

Her offer was _much_ more tempting than Itachi had anticipated, but he forced himself to decline. "Thank you, but… it's all right. After all, this is a party for all of Squad Two; it'd be wrong for me to distract you from it."

"I don't consider helping my subordinates to be a distraction, Itachi," Yoruichi replied.

Itachi couldn't help but give her a small smile. "That's very kind of you. Perhaps another time… I might take you up on that."

She stared at him for a good long moment, but in the end, she didn't press the issue. "All right, then. I keep an open-door policy, so if you change your mind, just let me know."

Itachi nodded. "I will."

With that, her gaze and those of Kisuke and Soi-Fon returned to the sky as Kūkaku sent yet another volley soaring into the night. Itachi's eventually followed, but it lingered for a moment on Yoruichi.

If he told her the truth, what would she say?

Of all the divisions in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, hers was as close in duties and responsibilities to those of Shinobi as one could possibly get. As the commander of such a unit, there was the distinct possibility that she might understand what he had done more than any other Captain in the Soul Society.

 _Perhaps… one day…_

….

 **The next day…**

His head throbbing with a hangover that felt bigger than the likeness of Tsunade carved into Hokage Rock, Jiraiya groaned as he worked his way back to something resembling consciousness. Rubbing his eyes and his forehead as he sat up, he looked around to survey the damage from the previous evening's festivities.

"Oh, man…" he murmured, "How hard did we party last night?"

He was in the middle of the training yard of Squad Eight's barracks, and he wasn't the only one; it seemed like most of the division was there in varying states of sobriety or lack thereof. Cups and sake bottles were strewn everywhere, with a sizeable collection surrounding Jiraiya alone. He tried to recall what exactly had gone down, but all he got for his efforts was a fresh headache.

Amusingly enough, at the center of the mess and apparently still out cold was none other than Captain Kyōraku. Jiraiya vaguely recalled trying to go head to head with his new commanding officer the night before, but Squad Eight's leader was perhaps the most formidable opponent in a drinking game that Jiraiya had ever encountered. He imagined that the man would certainly have given Tsunade a run for her money if the two of them ever met in the Realms of the Living.

 _When she does pass on, and if I'm able to find her, I should introduce the two of them_ , he mused, _Then again, I'm not sure if Squad Eight has enough booze for the kind of drinking contest that would likely ensue…_

He cautiously struggled to his feet and was about to go over to check on the Captain when he saw Lisa march on over, hands on her hips and scowling at her passed-out commander. She stood over him for a moment before delivering a swift kick to the man's ribs, causing Jiraiya to wince in sympathy.

Apparently, the Lieutenant's kick was enough to break through the Captain's drunken haze, because he groaned in pain before sitting up to rub the point of impact. "Lisa… was that _really_ necessary?"

She folded her arms. "Yes, it was. You don't get to spend the day out cold and leave orientation to me, Captain. Get up!"

Jiraiya chuckled as he walked over. "Captain, are you sure that you're the one who runs this division? It looks like the Lieutenant's the one that wears the pants around here!"

Kyōraku smiled as the division's newest officer approached. "Ah, good morning, Jiraiya! You here to give me a hand?"

"It looks like your Lieutenant's got that covered," Jiraiya replied, "At least, if by 'hand' you mean a good foot to the chest."

"You're lucky that I didn't administer the same treatment to you, Jiraiya," Lisa scolded him, "There's nothing wrong with cutting loose, but both of you seriously overdid it last night, and I'm not going to clean all this up by myself."

Kyōraku nodded as he stood up. "All right, I suppose that's fair enough. Lisa, do me a favor and go round up everyone. We made this mess as a division, and we'll clean it up the same way."

"Very well, then," she said, "Just as long as you pull your weight."

Kyōraku laughed. "Hey, where's the trust? I'll do my part, Captain's honor!"

As Lisa headed off to rouse the rest of the division, she was quickly replaced by Nanao entering the training yard. "Good morning, Captain! Oh, you're up too, Jiraiya! How are you feeling?"

Jiraiya grimaced; the little girl's high-pitched voice wasn't exactly what his throbbing head needed at the moment. "I've… been better."

Nanao giggled. "You were really funny last night! Maybe next time you shouldn't drink so much, though."

Jiraiya forced a smile. "I think you're right, Nanao."

The rest of the division came out from their quarters a few minutes later, and the next hour or so was spent cleaning up the remnants of the prior evening's festivities. Once they were done, most went off to take care of whatever their assigned duties were for the day, with the exception being Jiraiya.

 _I don't think the Captain ever got around to assigning me specific duties_ , he mused, _or if he did, I'm having a really hard time remembering them right about now…_

Fortunately, both the Captain and the Lieutenant were still in the courtyard. More intriguingly, both of them seemed to be waiting on Jiraiya. With nothing better to do, Jiraiya headed their way.

Kyōraku smiled as he approached. "How's the hangover?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing!"

The Captain rubbed his forehead. "Man, don't remind me. This thing's going to take all day to go away!"

"I can't say you don't deserve it, Captain," Lisa deadpanned, "Last night was a bit much even by _your_ standards."

Kyōraku gave her a wink. "Is that so? My mind might be a bit hazy right now, but I do seem to recall you enjoying yourself as well."

Much to his surprise, Jiraiya actually saw the Lieutenant _blush_ at that, at least a little. "Well… it's important to unwind once in a while. Besides, since we were welcoming new recruits, I felt it was acceptable to let my hair down."

Jiraiya smiled as bits and pieces of the prior evening began to form a somewhat cohesive picture in his mind. "You actually had some fun last night, didn't you? Knocked back a few drinks yourself, eh?"

"I drink in moderation," she replied, "Last night… well, I only had one or two more than my usual."

Kyōraku grinned. " _Only_ one or two more?"

Her response was to kick him in the shins. " _Only_ one or two more.".

Kyōraku laughed even as he rubbed the point of impact. "If you say so."

"Now that we've got that settled, what comes next?" asked Jiraiya, "I believe I heard the Lieutenant mention something about orientation earlier."

Kyōraku nodded, although the way he was looking at Jiraiya suggested that it was a secondary concern at the moment. "That'll come soon enough. In the meantime, now that we're at least on our feet, I'd like a chance to evaluate you, Jiraiya."

The sage raised an eyebrow. "An evaluation? Weren't the Academy finals enough?"

"I saw your scores, and they were definitely impressive," Kyōraku replied, "However, a list of grades and instructor remarks only go so far. I want a better idea as to what you're currently capable of."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "What did you have in mind?"

The Captain turned to his Lieutenant. "Lisa, why don't you go a round with him?"

Lisa raised her eyebrow. "Captain? Are you sure about this?"

Kyōraku nodded. "Of course. A practical demonstration's the best way to gauge a new officer's skills."

"Very well, then," said the Lieutenant before turning to Jiraiya, "Hangover or not, you'd best prepare yourself."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Well, we don't always get to choose when we fight, so I guess this'll be some good practice. Any ground rules?"

"Anything goes as long as there's no permanent damage," said Kyōraku, "Lisa, try not to take him down _too_ quickly. It's not much of an evaluation if you knock him out in a single hit."

"I'll exercise appropriate restraint, Captain," Lisa replied, taking a few steps back before placing her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutō.

Jiraiya did the same, a spark of excitement racing down his spine as he faced off with the Lieutenant. He hadn't counted on a one-on-one match with Squad Eight's second-in-command so soon after joining the division. Having to fight her while still nursing a hangover was going to be a pain, but all the same he was very much looking forward to seeing what tricks she had up her sleeve. Even if she wasn't going all out, it would still be an educational experience.

Lisa turned to Kyōraku. "Do you mind officiating, Captain?"

Her commanding officer shrugged. "I suppose it's the least I can do. You ready, Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya smiled. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He turned to his Lieutenant. "Lisa?"

"Yes," she answered.

She then gave Jiraiya a nod. "This might be anything goes, but I'll do you a favor and refrain from using my Shikai. How's that for a handicap?"

Jiraiya smirked. "I guess that's fine, although to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing it."

She actually smiled at that. "Some other time, perhaps."

Kyōraku raised his right hand. "All right, then. Three… two…one…"

He then brought his hand down in a chopping motion. "Begin!"

The smile on Lisa's face grew ever so slightly…

…and then she was on Jiraiya before he could so much as blink.

….

She might not have been able to rival the likes of the Flash Goddess, but Lisa was still confident in her speed and had no compunctions about unleashing it on Squad Eight's newly-minted Seventeenth Seat. Her Flash Step took her from her starting position to less than a meter in front of Jiraiya in a mere moment, and her blade was drawn a second later. Her Captain might've ordered her to draw out the fight, but if her new subordinate couldn't block this blow then he wasn't worthy of the position that he'd been given.

Fortunately, Jiraiya proved himself to be up to the challenge. Rather than meet her head-on, he initiated a Flash Step of his own and evaded to the right. Lisa was able to close the gap in short order, but the move gave the new officer the space he needed to draw his Zanpakutō and deflect her strike.

 _Not bad…_

It was a promising start, but she wasn't about to ease up just because he'd managed to block her first attack. Keeping her blade locked with his, she balanced herself on her left leg while raising her right to launch a kick straight at his chin. Much to her surprise, Jiraiya didn't fall back, but instead shifted to holding his sword in just his right hand while raising his left arm to block her kick. He then flashed her a smile, and she knew why; with both his legs still firmly planted on the ground, he had a much more solid position than she did.

Of course, she wasn't about to give him the chance to take advantage of it. Smoothly disengaging, she leapt backwards to allow herself an opportunity to regroup. Jiraiya thrust his blade forward, but she parried with fluid grace before going right back on the offensive. A series of rapid-fire thrusts was her counterattack, but Jiraiya stood his ground, blocking and redirecting each one without backing down.

 _He has solid frontal defenses_ , she mused, _but let's see how he fares against a more acrobatic offensive…_

Rolling to the right, she feinted with a stab towards his abdomen before suddenly leaping into the air. Performing a front flip as she passed over him, she lashed out with her sword in an attempt to cut his shoulder. At the last possible moment, he ducked, and as she came down on her feet Lisa was well aware of Jiraiya already whirling around to strike back. Her blade was up in a guard position before her feet even hit the ground, just in time to parry a powerful overhand blow.

His physical strength was impressive to say the least; in Lisa's trained eyes, it was easily several notches above what was expected from an officer of Jiraiya's rank. What made it even more formidable was that it wasn't the wild strength of a brute, but the controlled force of a trained warrior. It was honed and refined to the point that even though he was fresh out of the Academy he was already engaging her like a seasoned fighter.

 _His skills from his past life are no doubt a considerable factor here_ , she thought, _I'm sure he'll be a real asset for our frontline teams…_

It was time to shake things up a bit; she was here to do more than test his sword skills, after all. The Captain had said that this fight was anything goes, and Lisa was intent on putting their new recruit through his paces before the end of the match.

She Flash Stepped backwards to gain some space before shifting to a single-handed grip on her sword while raising her free hand and aiming the open palm towards Jiraiya. "Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"

She expected one of two possible outcomes based on the level of skill he'd already demonstrated; either he'd dodge it cleanly, or he'd deflect it with his Zanpakutō. Of course, there was always the chance that it might actually hit him, but Lisa wasn't banking on that. If he'd been able to keep up with her up to this point, then a spell like this one was hardly a threat to him.

Then she saw Jiraiya smirk as he did something that she'd most certainly _not_ expected. "Bakudō 8: Seki."

A small orb of light blue spirit energy appeared over the back of his left hand as he raised it to intercept the crimson blast heading his way. When Lisa's attack hit the orb it was deflected, and she quickly found her own spell racing right back at her.

 _Clever._

She side-stepped to the right, and the blast sailed past her before exploding against the far wall. Lisa then brought up her sword into a guard position; Jiraiya was already charging forward, determined to press the advantage. Deflecting his diagonal slash, Lisa decided to take a defensive posture for the next few exchanges so she could fully evaluate her opponent's Zanjutsu.

It was easy to see how he'd aced the Zanjutsu portion of the final exams. His swordsmanship was far above that of a typical student; indeed, Lisa doubted that even the Academy instructors could match him at this point. He was just the right mix of strong and cunning, unleashing an effective assault that was straightforward yet easily adaptable. He was capable of measuring each of his strikes, ensuring that they were powerful while at the same time not draining his reserves too quickly.

It wasn't just his swordsmanship that was impressive. Jiraiya was proving himself to be quite capable of mixing up Zanjutsu and Hakuda as the situation called for it. He shifted his blade to a single-handed grip, and as he blocked a horizontal slash he then reached out with his free hand, forcing Lisa to backpedal to avoid being grappled. Her opponent pushed forward, returning to a two-handed grip and unleashing a rain of powerful overhand blows. Lisa was able to parry them, but on the last one Jiraiya suddenly lunged forward, attempting to knee her in the gut. Once again, Lisa pulled back to avoid the hit.

 _He's strong and versatile_ , she thought as she guarded against a fresh onslaught, _At this point, the only reason his rank is that of Seventeenth Seat is because he hasn't unlocked his Shikai. The day that he does, he'll start climbing the ranks_ quite _quickly._

Personality-wise, he might've had a bit too much in common with her Captain for Lisa's liking, but there was no denying that his skills were the real deal. She could definitely do worse for subordinates, and all things considered she was actually looking forward to working with him out in the field. Parrying a diagonal slash from him, she quickly glanced at her Captain, who gave her a nod; he'd seen enough. It was time to end this.

Making a high-kick as she deflected his attack, she then leapt over him, making a slash of her own as she did so. Jiraiya was able to block the attack, but it kept him on the defensive just long enough for Lisa to land on her feet behind him. He whirled around and was able to redirect the thrust she sent his way, but it was a close thing. Now Lisa was picking up her pace, filling the air with streaks of silver as her blade lashed out like a hydra.

Much to her surprise, Jiraiya actually smiled as she intensified her assault. He clearly wasn't intending to go down easily, and Lisa was curious to see what he had up his sleeves. He once again shifted to a single-handed grip on his Zanpakutō, but this time he didn't move to strike her with his free hand right away. Fending off the blizzard of strikes she was unleashing against him, he held his free hand open, and Lisa's eyes widened slightly as blue-white spirit energy began to whirl over his palm, rapidly forming a sphere of swirling power.

 _What kind of spell is this?_

She got her answer a moment later when Jiraiya thrust out with the spinning ball of energy. "Rasengan!"

Rather than aiming at her, Jiraiya slammed his energy ball into the ground between them. Lisa only had a moment to ponder why he would do such a thing before she was provided an answer in the form of a deluge of broken tiles and the dirt and stones beneath them threatened to engulf her.

Even though she'd been taken off guard by her opponent's strange spell, Lisa recovered quickly. Not giving Jiraiya any time to capitalize on the distraction he'd created, she Flash Stepped to the left. A second Shunpo brought her directly behind him, and she charged right at him. Jiraiya spun around to block the attack, but this time he was just a split-second too slow, and the point of her sword came to rest mere millimeters from his face.

She gave Jiraiya a confident smile. "Match."

Jiraiya smiled back. "Looks like it."

The two of them sheathed their swords, and Lisa took a moment to survey the damage caused by Jiraiya's last-ditch attack. It had blasted a decent-sized crater in the training yard, and bits of tile, stone and dirt had been flung everywhere.

She heard applause off to the side, and she turned towards the source to find her Captain grinning. "Well, well… that was quite a show!"

Jiraiya bowed. "I aim to please."

Lisa nodded. "You certainly accomplished that much, although I doubt the Soul Reapers that will be assigned to patch up the training yard will share our sentiments."

Her Captain shrugged. "They've cleaned up worse messes than this before."

"Maybe I should buy them all drinks to make up for it later," said Jiraiya, "I guess I overdid it a bit at the end there."

Kyōraku smiled. "Perhaps, but I'm glad you did. Seeing that technique of yours was certainly worth the damage you caused!"

Lisa's eyes narrowed as she regarded her new subordinate. "What manner of spell was that? It didn't match any Kidō technique that I'm familiar with."

A knowing smirk was on her Captain's face. "Let me guess; a little holdover from your Shinobi days?"

Jiraiya nodded. "I've always liked having an ace in the hole or two up my sleeves. It took me a while to figure out how to recreate it with spirit energy as opposed to chakra, but I've got it down now."

Lisa took a moment to consider the amount of power the spell had packed. "That technique could likely take out lesser Hollows in a single shot."

"Looks like its power is proportional to your own," Kyōraku added, "So, the stronger you get, the more powerful this 'Rasengan' of yours should get as well."

"That's what I'm hoping, anyway," said Jiraiya.

"Intriguing," Lisa murmured, regarding the division's Seventeenth Seat with renewed interest, "Is this a technique that you could teach to others?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Are you volunteering to be my first student, Lieutenant?"

"Can you or not?" she snapped.

Jiraiya nodded. "I suppose I could. The same basic principles apply for the technique in the afterlife as they did when I was alive, although manipulating spirit energy in such a manner is more difficult than chakra."

Kyōraku raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why's that?"

"Spirit energy seems to be more volatile," Jiraiya answered, "That seems to be part of the reason why most of the Kidō spells we learn have incantations; they help control the energy. Firing off the spells without the incantations doesn't just result in a reduction in power, but also lessens the efficiency of the spells."

"But the spell you just used in our bout required no incantation, only the name," Lisa pointed out.

"Saying the name is the easy part," Jiraiya countered, "It's getting the spirit energy to form that ball you saw and properly contain it before releasing it on a target that's tricky. The technique never had an incantation when I was using chakra to fuel it. That might be one of the reasons why it took me so long to remaster it once I came here; I was first trying to manipulate spirit energy exactly like I would chakra, and it was only after taking into account the differences between the two and adjusting accordingly that I was finally able to relearn the technique. Even then, it wasn't exactly easy."

"Any other tricks from your Shinobi days that you can still use?" asked Kyōraku.

"My taijutsu skills are still intact," Jiraiya replied, "They translate pretty well to Hakuda since both are basically the same thing; hand-to-hand combat. As for actual techniques such as ninjutsu or genjutsu, as of right now I'm afraid the Rasengan is the only tool I've been able to pull out of that particular closet. Still, it's early days, so there's no reason why I wouldn't be able to figure out how to use more of my old techniques with spirit energy instead of chakra if given enough time."

He then flashed another grin at Lisa. "So, you still want to learn my little spell? Just say the word, Lieutenant! I'm always happy to have a beautiful woman as a student!"

She actually _was_ tempted, if only for the possible utilizations of the spell rather than the personality of her would-be teacher. "Eventually. For now, though, it'd be better for you to focus on acclimating to your current role as the Seventeenth Seat of Squad Eight."

"I take it there's more to that than partying hard and sparring with my superior officers," said Jiraiya, "So, what's on the list for today?"

Lisa smiled. "First, go gather a suitable group of unseated division members. You're going to help our maintenance personnel clean up the mess you made here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "All right, fair enough!"

As he left the training yard, Lisa turned to her Captain. "He shows more promise than I'd initially given him credit for. He might be a bit too similar to _you_ for my liking, but I have to admit that he'll be a great asset for Squad Eight."

Kyōraku grinned. "Glad to see you're coming around! Can I count on you to keep putting him through his paces? We need to make sure to polish this gem that we've acquired, after all."

Lisa nodded. "Of course, Captain."

….

 **A week later…**

"Hold here!" Soi-Fon ordered as Itachi and Visaelya came to a stop behind her.

Itachi nodded; although he was able to maintain his composure, he was privately thankful for a chance to catch his breath. "Understood."

Next to him, Visaelya sighed with relief. "Yes, ma'am."

Yoruichi's bodyguard was a stern taskmaster, but Itachi couldn't deny her effectiveness. Ever since she'd started running him and Visaelya through these exercises, he'd noticed a measurable improvement in their endurance and speed, and they'd only been doing them for a week.

The day after the welcoming party that had been held for the new recruits of Squad Two, Yoruichi had placed Itachi and Visaelya under the direct supervision of Soi-Fon, who had proceeded to run them through the same series of drills from morning to dusk. The exercises consisted of a series of Flash Step courses that went across the Seireitei, and both newly minted officers had immediately picked up on the dual nature of the drills; they were meant not only to increase their proficiency in the swift movement techniques that Squad Two placed such value in, but also to hammer into them the layout of the Seireitei so that they would be more effective in responding to a potential crisis within its confines.

As the Eighteenth and Sixteenth Seats took advantage of the respite to regain some of their energy, Itachi caught Soi-Fon carefully studying them. The look she gave them was not unlike those he and Visaelya had received from their instructors at the Academy, save that Soi-Fon had much sharper eyes.

After a moment, she gave the two of them a nod of approval. "You've both done well so far. Lady Yoruichi will be pleased."

That was about as high of praise as Itachi had ever heard her give before. "Thank you."

Visaelya bowed. "You honor us, Miss Soi-Fon."

Soi-Fon took a few seconds to survey the part of the Seireitei the three of them were in before turning back to her subordinates. "There's a teahouse not too far from here that Lady Yoruichi's taken me to before. We'll stop there for lunch today."

Itachi was surprised at her sudden announcement; normally she just took them back to the Squad Two barracks for a quick meal before resuming their exercises. Still, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"We'll follow your lead," he said.

She nodded before leading the two of them to the teahouse in question. It was a modestly sized establishment, with a very cozy feel to it as the three of them walked through the front entrance. As it was midday there was already a sizeable crowd present, the bulk of which consisted of Soul Reapers enjoying a quick break before returning to their duties. Soi-Fon simply nodded at a waitress who immediately led the three of them to a booth in the back corner of the teahouse. The three of them were seated, and a few minutes later they were swiftly provided with drinks and menus.

"This is a nice place," said Visaelya as she looked around, "I've never been here before."

"Lady Yoruichi's fond of it," said Soi-Fon, "and I suppose it's grown on me as well over the years."

There was a very small smile on her face, and Itachi realized that their taskmaster was actually letting her hair down a bit, so to speak. If he played things just right, this would be an ideal chance to not only learn more about her, but their Captain as well.

 _ **Gathering intel on the target of your affections?**_

 _Save the quips._

 _ **Fine. I'll simply watch in amused silence.**_

"If you don't mind me asking," Itachi cautiously began, "how did you come to be in Lady Yoruichi's service? She seems quite relaxed around you. Were you two friends before you officially became her bodyguard?"

Soi-Fon shook her head. "No. I'm fortunate to have earned her friendship in the time I've served her, but she was not familiar with me when I initially entered her service."

Visaelya leaned forward, sensing a story to be had. "Miss Soi-Fon… you're a member of one of the Shihōin Clan's vassal houses, right? The Fon Clan?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "That's right. My family has served the Shihōin Clan since before the Andunayan Conquest of the Soul Society. The retainers we've provided have typically been for martial or espionage duties. Warriors, bodyguards, assassins, spies; we've performed those roles and many more. In turn, we've been rewarded by the Shihōin Clan with an estate in the Seireitei as well as our own land holdings within the Shihōin Principality. It's quite common these days for members of my clan to serve in Squad Two or the Stealth Force as need and ability dictates."

"I've heard that members of the Fon Clan undergo rigorous training even before they enter the Academy," said Visaelya, "Was it the same for you?"

"Yes," Soi-Fon replied, "The Fon Clan maintains training grounds both within the Seireitei and the Shihōin Principality. Before members of our clan can enter the Academy, we must prove ourselves to the family instructors. It was the same for my generation of the family as it was for those that came before."

"You must've performed very well at the Academy, given such a background," said Itachi.

A slightly more confident smiled appeared on Soi-Fon's face. "I did. My marks in Hakuda and Hohō exceeded those of my peers by a considerable margin. I even outdid my siblings, and they'd been given the same prior training as me."

"How many siblings do you have?" asked Visaelya.

Her smile vanished, and while for the most part she maintained her composure there was a hint of mournfulness in her gaze. "I was the youngest of six. The other five were all brothers… and they all perished in the line of duty."

Visaelya couldn't suppress a gasp. "Oh… I'm so sorry."

Soi-Fon sighed. "It was years ago. Our family's accustomed to such losses. Duty and service come first, and we all go into our training knowing that we may be called upon to give our lives at any time for our missions."

Itachi nodded; he understood all too well where she was coming from. "Whether it risks our lives or our personal honor, the mission comes first."

Soi-Fon's eyes widened ever so slightly at that. "Yes… spoken like a member of my clan, in fact."

"Your clan's duties aren't all that different from those that I had during my time as a Shinobi," Itachi pointed out, "I believe that prior experience played no small part in my gravitation towards Squad Two."

They were interrupted by the arrival of a waitress who quickly took their meal orders. Once she left, Itachi picked up right where they'd left off.

"When we first met," he said, "you mentioned that you were a member of both Squad Two and the Executive Militia. The latter's part of the Stealth Force. When you graduated from the Academy, did you start in Squad Two or the Stealth Force?"

"My initial posting was specifically the Executive Militia of the Stealth Force," Soi-Fon answered, "By my senior year in the Academy my Asauchi had adapted to become my personal Zanpakutō, and the small size of its sealed state lent itself very well to the kind of fighting that's expected of the Stealth Force. When that was combined with my scores in Hakuda and Hohō, the choice was obvious."

"Was that when you first met Lady Yoruichi?" asked Visaelya.

"Yes and no," Soi-Fon replied, "It was my first time formally introducing myself to her, but I had seen her before when she'd visited my family prior to my passing the Academy entrance exams."

A slightly wistful smile then appeared on her face. "When I first saw her… I was captivated. Her bearing, her grace, the strength that radiated from her… she was everything I wanted to be and more."

The smile then became a slight smirk. "When I officially met her upon joining the Stealth Forces… well, I was a little thrown off, to be honest. Then again, looking back on it all, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, when she visited my family it had been in a formal capacity as the heiress of the Shihōin Clan, and since we were amongst her most loyal vassals, she naturally went to great lengths to present a suitable image. She's much more relaxed when she doesn't have to deal with the trappings of the aristocracy, something I quickly came to learn during my time in the Stealth Force and Squad Two."

"Forgive me if this comes across as rude," said Itachi cautiously, "but you two do seem to have somewhat clashing personalities. Did that impact your ability to settle into your new role?"

Soi-Fon shook her head. "I thought it might at first, but I quickly discovered that, despite her laid-back nature, she was and still is a very competent commander. The strength that I had sensed in her the day I first saw her was genuine, and to this day… well, she's a true marvel to witness in combat."

Itachi allowed himself a small smile as images of the night he'd first met her flashed through his mind. "She certainly is."

Soi-Fon nodded. "I resolved to redouble my efforts, both in my missions and in my training, so I could serve her to the fullest of my capabilities. It took seven years, but eventually I'd progressed to the point that she promoted me to one of her personal guards. In time, she actually began to personally instruct me, and we became not only commander and subordinate, but teacher and student. Now I'm the head of her personal guard. I wouldn't be half the Soul Reaper I am today if it weren't for her tutelage."

"To be taught by the Flash Goddess herself would be a huge honor," said Visaelya, "I hope I can earn the same opportunity someday."

Soi-Fon regarded the two of them thoughtfully for a moment. "Both of you are actually closer to that than you might think."

She looked like she was going to continue, but it was at that moment their food arrived. The three of them busied themselves with their meals, although Itachi's mind wasn't fully on his lunch and tea. His past interactions with Yoruichi played out in his head, in particular the efforts she'd put into helping him catch up to his peers after the incident with the soul fracture.

 _The instruction was from one of her clan's private tutors rather than Yoruichi herself, but still…_

 _ **Looking forward to some private training time with the lovely Captain?**_

 __ _Yes…_

He had the satisfaction of actually taking the spirit of his Zanpakutō by surprise for once. _**Well, now… I didn't think you'd actually admit it. That's progress.**_

 __After a few minutes of eating, Soi-Fon spoke again. "The two of you have progressed quite well in the week that you've been under my wing. We'll still go through the remainder of today's exercises once we're done here, but after that I'll make my recommendation to Lady Yoruichi."

"And that would be?" asked Visaelya.

"That you're both ready to begin your first official Seireitei patrols," Soi-Fon replied, "You'll be on those for a couple weeks in order to reinforce your knowledge of the layout, but after that you'll likely be deemed ready to start branching out into the Rukon District and The Wild. The Realms of the Living will be next, and while that will in large part depend on the performance you demonstrate in your patrols, if what I've seen over the past week is any indication, I don't think it'll take long at all to get you both out there."

Itachi nodded. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Soi-Fon actually smirked at that. "You might want to save your gratitude. You never know what sort of trouble you can run into on your patrols, after all."

Visaelya smiled. "We'll be ready for it."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Yes… I think you two will be."

….

 **A week later…**

Dusk was giving way to night as Jiraiya approached the Squad Four barracks. He couldn't help but smirk as he thought of what an outside observer might think of the situation. Here he was, Seventeenth Seat of Squad Eight, going to visit the Captain of Squad Four just as the sun was fading from the horizon. It was all too easy to imagine what sort of conclusions someone could jump to…

…and Jiraiya would be lying if he said that he wasn't hoping that one or two of those 'conclusion' might someday become something closer to the truth.

Approaching the gate, he saw a familiar figure waiting for him. It wasn't the Captain, but that was okay; Jiraiya wasn't about to send away Squad Four's cute Seventh Seat.

Isane smiled. "Welcome, Jiraiya. Captain Unohana sends her apologies; she felt it would be better if I greeted you in her stead. After all, this is an endeavor that we're trying to keep under wraps, so her standing by the gate of our division's barracks at this hour would draw

Jiraiya chuckled. "And you standing here at this hour _doesn't_ draw attention?"

"I'm only the division's Seventh Seat," Isane pointed out, "Who pays attention to a Seventh Seat?"

"When they're as cute as you, I do!" Jiraiya replied with a grin.

Isane blushed and looked down in embarrassment. "Oh… thank you! Anyway, let's get going. She should be ready for you."

She hastily led him through the Squad Four barracks. The last time Jiraiya had been here it was to visit Itachi during his recovery from the soul fracture years ago, but the place hadn't really changed since then. At this late hour there were only a handful of Soul Reapers milling about, most of whom only gave Jiraiya a curious glance before continuing on their way.

"Sorry for any trouble this causes you," said Jiraiya as he followed the officer inside.

Isane shook her head. "It's quite all right. I'm in full agreement with Captains Unohana and Kyōraku regarding this initiative, and I understand the need to keep a low profile."

"If I keep showing up like this and you keep greeting me, people might start talking," said Jiraiya with a smirk, "They might get certain ideas about the two of us!"

Once again, Isane blushed. "Well… it'll just be gossip. That's hardly unusual in an organization as large as the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. I'm… not concerned about it."

Jiraiya was skeptical to put it mildly, but he figured that he'd teased her enough for one night. It only took a couple minutes for Isane to lead him into a large open room towards the back of the barracks where Unohana was waiting for him. Jiraiya suspected that the room was normally used as a meeting or lecture hall, but tonight its only occupant was the Captain. He certainly wouldn't complain about the atmosphere; the room was only lit by a handful of candles, and his companion for the evening looked all the lovelier in their flickering light.

She smiled as Isane led him inside. "Welcome, Jiraiya. I'm glad you could make it here at this hour. I hope the time isn't an issue to you."

Jiraiya grinned. "Who am I to say no to a late-night rendezvous with a woman like you?"

He had the pleasure of hearing the Captain's soft and warm laughter. "As charming as ever. I do hope that you remember the reason you're really here, though. Should you find yourself becoming _distracted_ …"

Her smile remained, but once again there was that unmistakable shadow in her eyes, one that was given an added menace by the dimly lit room. "…you may find yourself having to apply the lessons you learn here in a practical manner much sooner that you might've imagined."

Even when making threats, there was an undeniable elegance about her that Jiraiya found damn-near irresistible. "I'll try to keep my mind on the lesson. No promises, though!"

A surprisingly pixyish smirk appeared on her face. "Well, then… proceed at your own peril. Isane, thank you for brining him here. You may leave now."

Isane nodded. "Understood, Captain."

As the Seventh Seat shut the door, Unohana nodded at a circular meditation mat that was spread out on the floor in front of her. "Please, have a seat."

Jiraiya did so, and as he settled in, he saw what looked like a cloth covering a small object laying next to Unohana. He suspected he'd find out what it was soon enough; he doubted the Captain would've brought it if it weren't needed for the opening lesson.

Sure enough, a moment later Unohana picked up the object and removed the cloth, revealing a clear crystal about the size of a children's ball. "I know it's been six years since the Academy entrance exams, but surely you remember this?"

Jiraiya nodded. "The crystal from Phase Three. Hard to forget."

Unohana smiled. "If you recall it so clearly, then that will make this much easier. As you know, this crystal will create a visual manifestation of your spirit energy. I need to be able to judge just how much your power and energy control have grown over the past six years, since both of those are crucial to the healing arts. This crystal will give me a sufficient sample. Pour your energy into it, and do not hold back."

She then passed it to Jiraiya. "If you require some time to meditate in preparation, please feel free to take it. I'm in no rush."

Jiraiya grinned as he focused on the crystal in the palm of his right hand. "No need for that."

He sent his spirit energy flowing into the stone, and the fruits of his training made themselves known just a few seconds later. The crystal blazed with blue-white flame, the radiance of which soon lit up the entire room, easily surpassing the light of the candles.

Unohana leaned forward slightly, her gaze focused intently on the crystal and not appearing to be bothered in the least by the bright light. "Impressive. Maintain this until I say otherwise or you are unable to do so."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed in concentration. He hadn't been expecting an endurance test right off the bat, but he wasn't about to back down from the challenge. His focus on the crystal and maintaining the flow of spirit energy was such that he soon lost track of time, and he was only dimly aware of the sweat that was slowly building up on his brow.

After what felt like hours but could very well have been just minutes for all he knew, Unohana gave him the command to stop. As he did so, she passed him a wet washcloth; somehow, she'd left the room and returned without him ever noticing her absence, so intent had he been on the exercise.

She gave him a warm smile as he set the crystal down and wiped his forehead. "Very well done, Jiraiya."

"How long did I last?" he asked.

"Long enough for me to determine where you currently stand as a Soul Reaper," she answered, "I must say, I'm quite pleased with your progress. Your current rank may be that of Seventeenth Seat, but I can think of more than few officers in higher positions who would be envious of the power you just demonstrated."

Jiraiya smiled. "You're too kind."

Unohana chuckled, the smile on her face taking on a slightly ominous feel now that the light from the crystal had died down and only the candles were illuminating the room again. "You may wish to retract those words once the night is over. That was only the first test I have in store for you, Jiraiya. The night is young, and it shall not go to waste."

….

 _His endurance is impressive_ , mused Unohana, _although I imagine that he'd like me to be thinking that in a different context…_

Throughout the night, the Captain of Squad Four had run her guest through a series of exercises designed to fine-tune his manipulation of spirit energy. These were just the first steps; it would still be some time before Jiraiya would be ready to begin applying it to actual healing spells. Still, it was a promising start, and the fact that he was able to complete all of them even after pouring so much energy into the crystal at the beginning gave Unohana high hopes as to his potential.

Breathing heavily as the glow of spirit energy once again faded from his hands, Jiraiya took a sip of water before turning to Unohana again. "So, what next?"

Unohana smiled. "Actually, that's the last of what I had in store for you tonight. Since this was our first session, I wanted to make sure that you had a solid foundation before we proceeded further. I'm pleased to say that you've exceeded my expectations."

Jiraiya grinned. "Good to know!"

Unohana stood up and motioned for him to follow. "It'll be dawn in a few hours, but you should be able to make it back to the Squad Eight barracks with a little time to spare for rest. It wouldn't do for you to go about your duties with no sleep whatsoever."

Jiraiya yawned. "Next time, can we schedule this so that the morning after will be on one of my off days?"

Unohana shook her head. "I can make no such promises, unfortunately. Remember, we are trying to keep this a secret from the Central Forty-Six for the time being. It's necessary to vary the nights that we have these lessons. If you're seen coming and going at regular intervals, that will only serve to raise suspicion."

Jiraiya smirked as she led him towards the entrance to the barracks. "Are you sure? Sounds like the real reason might be that it'd be embarrassing for you to be seen with a guy like me at such an hour! Is that closer to the mark?"

Unohana giggled; if nothing else, his willingness to joke about such things with her was actually rather refreshing when compared other Soul Reapers who feared stepping over the line. "Well, as a Captain I _do_ have my reputation to consider. After all, for me to take on a student so lacking in technique and experience is scandalous in and of itself, wouldn't you say?"

She had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen ever so slightly for a moment before he started laughing. "All right, I guess you've got me there!"

Unohana nodded. "Jokes aside, I do hope that you'll remember the importance of this little endeavor of ours. I'd hate for all the work that we're going to put into this to be undone just because of some careless words or a poorly-timed sighting."

"Don't worry," said Jiraiya, "I'll be careful. Can't have the stiff old geezers from the Central Forty-Six ruining the fun, after all."

"I'll send a Hell Butterfly with the date and time for our next session," said Unohana, "Please give Captain Kyōraku my regards; his help in this matter is greatly appreciated."

Jiraiya smiled. "I'll let him know. Until next time, Captain!"

Unohana nodded and smiled as she watched him depart. "Yes… until next time, Jiraiya."

….

 **A few weeks later…**

It was his day off, but that didn't mean Itachi was relaxing. Keeping up with his training was one of his duties as an officer of Squad Two, and the Sixteenth Seat didn't intend to slack off now. He had the training yard to himself today, so he was taking full advantage of it, honing the precision of his Shunpo by Flash Stepping across a web of mats that he had set up earlier in homage to the test that the Head Captain had run him through years ago during his recovery from the soul fracture. His accuracy and speed were leagues beyond what it had been back then, but it wasn't nearly good enough as far as Itachi was concerned.

 _Compared to her, this is sloppy_ , he thought as he finished up another circuit, _I still can't hold a candle to her…_

 _ **Well, she**_ **is** _ **known as the Flash Goddess for a reason, after all**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō gently reminded him, _**I'm all for you improving your skills in the art that she's gained such renown for mastering, but you need to be realistic. You're not going to catch up to her in a short amount of time, and I doubt she's expecting you to either. This will be a marathon, not a sprint.**_

 __She was right, but that wouldn't stop Itachi from working up a sweat just the same. Speed was one of the qualities that Squad Two prized so highly, and if Itachi wanted the Captain to see him as more than just a gifted subordinate he figured that refining his Shunpo was as good a place as any to start.

 _Again_ , he silently told himself, _in three…two…one._

The wind whipped through his hair as he took off, and the training yard became little more than a blur to his eyes as he traversed the course. That was a problem; the ability to discern key details at high speed was crucial when one was out in the field. He still had a long way to go when it came to training his eyesight to keep up with the speed that he was capable of reaching. Shunpo far surpassed the movement speed that most Shinobi were capable of in their Realm of the Living, although Itachi had to wonder how it could compare to the likes of someone like Shisui in his prime or Minato 'Yellow Flash' Namikaze. Perhaps he would find out someday. After all, the Soul Society was a vast place, and just because he had not yet encountered the late Fourth Hokage did not mean that such a meeting would never happen.

His understanding of the physical layout of the heart of the afterlife had grown by leaps and bounds over the past few weeks. The patrols he'd been conducting within the Seireitei built upon the already solid foundation that he had gained through the training runs with Soi-Fon, and Yoruichi had already indicated that she'd be giving him his first crack at the Rukon District soon enough. It was an opportunity that Itachi had been itching for since before joining Squad Two, and he was quite eager to apply his skills outside the Seireitei.

He'd managed to get some time in between his official duties and training sessions to check in with Shisui regarding his unofficial sweeps of the Rukon District in search of signs of the Uchiha Clan. His old comrade had compiled meticulous charts and notes to keep his search organized, but despite his best efforts and the years he'd already spent on the project he hadn't found so much as a trace of the clan. It was through no fault of his own; the sheer mammoth scale of the Soul Society meant that a single-man search was up against monumental odds. Even the addition of Itachi to the sweeps, along with Jiraiya once he got the chance to help out, would barely put a scratch in such an obstacle.

Itachi was undaunted, though. Yes, the task before them was nothing to sneeze at, but it wasn't impossible. They could beat the odds through cooperation and thorough study of their environment. They'd catch a break sooner or later.

Itachi could only hope that it wasn't _too_ late.

 _ **If your clan's arrogant enough to think it can pull the same stunt here that it attempted to pull back then, they're in for a rude awakening.**_

 __ _It doesn't mean they won't try. Shisui can't be the only Uchiha in the Soul Society that's regained the Sharingan over the years. The clan's pride in the power of our eyes helped fuel one downfall, and it can easily plant the seeds for another._

 _ **Perhaps. Still, they'd have to find each other first. That's no small feat around here, as Shisui can attest.**_

 __ _Don't underestimate the lengths an Uchiha will go to in order to achieve their ambitions._

Her chuckling echoed in his mind. _**Oh, trust me; that's the last mistake I'll make.**_

 __He went through a few more circuits before he decided it was time to take a little break. As he gathered up the mats to put them away, Itachi couldn't help but feel like someone was watching him. Looking around the training yard, he realized that he did indeed have an audience… and a rather unusual one to boot.

Sitting at the edge of the training yard was a black cat. It didn't look too out of the ordinary in and of itself, although its golden eyes did appear a bit brighter than normal. The feline seemed to be focusing specifically on Itachi, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

Finishing his cleanup, Itachi sat down to meditate, keeping one eye on the cat as he did so. The feline walked over towards him before sitting down right in front of him.

"Meow."

Curious, Itachi leaned forward to study the creature in further detail. He couldn't recall any of his fellow members of Squad Two owning a cat, but since he'd only been in the division for a short amount of time it was entirely possible the feline did belong to one of his comrades. Interestingly enough, the cat leaned forward a bit as well, mirroring Itachi's posture as well as it was capable of. He was about to return his focus to meditating when the creature suddenly hopped into his lap. Settling in, the cat then looked up at him expectantly.

Itachi couldn't help but give a small smile at the situation he found himself in. "Looks like cats aren't all that different in the Soul Society from those in the Shinobi World… at least the friendlier ones, anyway."

"Meow!" came the feline's reply as it gave his leg a light smack with its tail.

Regarding the creature for a moment, Itachi determined that it was female. "You're a rather impatient little girl, aren't you? Well, I suppose I shouldn't keep you waiting."

He reached down and began to scratch behind the kitty's ears. In short order, he had the feline purring comfortably in his lap.

 _Nice to see that I haven't lost my touch._

 _ **Oh, this is absolutely precious!**_

 __Itachi raised an eyebrow. _I didn't think you were the type to be smitten by a cute little cat._

The spirit of his Zanpakutō laughed. _**Oh, you foolish young man! I almost don't want to spoil it now!**_

 __ _What are you talking about?_

 _ **Focus on the cat.**_ **Really** _ **focus. You'll see what I mean.**_

 __Itachi couldn't begin to guess what she was playing at, but he decided to humor her. The cat had shifted in his lap so that it was now lying face-up, so Itachi switched to rubbing her belly. The purring increased slightly at that, although Itachi found it a bit odd how the kitty seemed to be constantly adjusting her head so that she'd maintain eye contact with him. Still, there was nothing visually abnormal about the creature.

At that was when it hit him. He was looking only with his eyes, and not with the rest of his senses. The cat was in his lap; he didn't need to look with his eyes to know where it was. Closing his eyes, he instead focused on trying to detect the feline using only the senses for spirit energy that he had developed during his time in the Academy.

And that was when his eyes snapped back open in shock. Sure enough, he'd felt just a hint of spirit energy.

Very _familiar_ spirit energy.

Looking down at the cat, his hand still rubbing her belly on instinct, Itachi's mind struggled to comprehend just what he was actually looking at. "It can't be… Yoruichi?"

The feline winked before it was suddenly engulfed in bright blue-white energy. Itachi was forced to shield his eyes, but even without his sight he was all too aware of the suddenly growing weight of the 'cat' in his lap… as well as rapidly changing texture of what his hand was on, as fur soon became the oh-so soft and smooth skin of a woman's bare belly.

Itachi's face flushed red. Was she really…?

The light faded a few seconds later, and Itachi felt a slender arm drape itself over his shoulder while a hand gently grasped the back of his neck. Cautiously opening his eyes, he saw that it was indeed none other than Squad Two's Captain now sprawled out in his lap.

And she was completely naked.

He didn't think it was possible, but the already-burning heat in his face only further increased. No mirrors were available, but Itachi suspected that if he could see his reflection it would be the deepest humanly possible shade of crimson. Matters weren't helped in the least by playful smile of the woman in his lap.

"Someone's got magic hands," she purred, "Want to take those fingers of yours a little further south? I haven't scratched _that_ particular itch in a _long_ time…"

It was all he could do to keep his gaze focused squarely on Yoruichi's face and not ogle the absolutely _stunning_ figure that was on full display before him. Needless to say, he was _very_ grateful at this particular moment that Jiraiya had gone to Squad Eight rather than Squad Two; if the Legendary Sannin could see him now, Itachi knew that he would _never_ hear the end of it.

"How…" was the only reply that Itachi could muster, and he was amazed that he was capable of saying even _that_ much at the moment.

He felt a slight pressure at the back of his neck as Yoruichi pulled him down, while at the same time she leaned in just enough to whisper in his ear, her warm breath on his skin sending fresh chills racing down his spine. "I'm a girl that's _full_ of surprises, Itachi."

 _That's putting it mildly…_

He was at a complete loss for words, something that his nude superior was quick to take note of. "What's the matter, Itachi? Cat got your tongue?"

 _Say something…_ do _something… anything…_

"I…" he stammered, almost certain that he was going to pass out from just how hot his head felt at the moment, "This is…"

The Captain giggled before licking him on the cheek. " _Mmm…_ If I'd known you'd be _this_ cute when flustered, I would've done this weeks ago!"

"I… I don't understand," he replied, using every ounce of his willpower to focus on her face rather than the rest of her oh-so-generously displayed body, "This transformation… how's it even possible?"

Yoruichi winked. "We all have our gifts, Itachi. This one in particular's _quite_ special, and not one I just share out in the open. If you really want to know, then how about we go somewhere private?"

Itachi nodded, doing all he could to reassert his composure. "All right, but first… please, put some clothes on."

"Aw, what's wrong?" she asked, mischievous light gleaming in her eyes, "Aren't you enjoying the show?"

"That's… not the point," said Itachi, nervously looking around and hoping that no one else was about to enter the training yard, "It's just… you're my Captain, and… I don't think that this is… proper."

Yoruichi laughed. "Now you're starting to sound like Soi-Fon! I thought you'd be a little more relaxed than her. You can't chill out with your Captain on your day off?"

"It's… not that," Itachi muttered, "It's… I…"

What was he supposed to say? An incredibly beautiful woman was naked in his lap, and it was one that he'd finally admitted to himself that he was attracted to little more than a month or so ago. Itachi didn't know if she understood his true feelings, but she _had_ to know the affect she was having on him right now. Was this just one of her games, or did she want something more?

She then stood up, smiling down at him while not even bothering to cover herself. "I'm feeling generous today, so why don't you wait here for a bit? I'll be right back!"

Before Itachi could reply, she vanished into a blur as she Flash Stepped off to what he could only hope were here quarters for some clothes. Looking around the training yard again, Itachi could only sigh in relief that apparently no one else had stumbled upon the two of them during that surprise encounter.

 _ **Well, that was entertaining!**_

 _Why in the world did she do that?_

 _ **Because teasing you is the most fun a girl can have in the Soul Society.**_

 __ _Very funny._

She returned a few minutes later, thankfully in her Captain's attire this time. Itachi had mostly been able to regain his composure, although he was still more than a little flustered by what had happened earlier.

Yoruichi smiled as she offered him her hand. "Better?"

Itachi nodded as she pulled him to his feet. "Yes. I mean… well…"

Yoruichi giggled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Still a little hot under the collar? I've been wanting to tease you like that for a while now!"

"Is this… something you do with all of your subordinates?" he asked.

She winked. "Only the cute ones!"

Uncharacteristic embarrassment once again came over him; Yoruichi seemed quite adept at bringing that out in him. "I see… thanks, I think."

"As for _how_ I'm able to do that, why don't you take a walk with me and I'll tell you all about it," she said.

"Is that an order?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi smiled. "Does it have to be? Can't I just want some time to relax and shoot the breeze with a colleague on a day off?"

Itachi gave her a small smile in return. "In that case… lead on."

He followed her out of the barracks, and they began a leisurely stroll down the streets of the Seireitei. It was late morning, and apart from a few other Soul Reapers going about their daily business it was rather quiet. Occasionally one would glance their way, no doubt wondering what a Captain was doing with such a low-ranking officer like himself, but they didn't linger too long.

"I thought you wanted to discuss your ability in private," said Itachi.

"This is good enough for me," Yoruichi replied, "If anyone starts eavesdropping on us, a Flash Step or two will be all we need to get out of range. If they start following… well, let's just say that I'll be well within my authority to make them wish that they hadn't."

It was hard for Itachi to think of anyone who'd be foolish enough to pursue a Captain, let alone one that would be able to keep pace with the Flash Goddess herself. "Very well, then."

"So, about my little… _ability_ ," she began as the wound their way through the Seireitei with no real destination in mind, "What do you think of it?"

"It's fascinating," Itachi replied, "although… when you come out of your transformation…"

"Why did it have to be without a scrap of clothing?" Yoruichi finished for him with a smirk, "Well, isn't that obvious? Cats don't wear clothes!"

"Do collars count?" he asked dryly.

"Ooh, you thinking of buying me one?" she purred, "I didn't know you were into that sort of thing, Itachi!"

Yet again, Itachi felt a rush of heat come to his face, along with the accompanying loss of composure. "I'm… I'm not."

Yoruichi laughed and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "Oh, man, you really are too easy to tease! Lighten up a bit, Itachi. I was hoping you'd be a little more fun than Soi-Fon!"

"I'm… not used to this sort of… _fun_ ," he said, looking down bashfully.

 _What's gotten into me?_

 _ **Oh, this is too much fun!**_

 __ _You're not helping._

 _ **I know.**_

Yoruichi smiled. "Fair enough. I'll ease up on you a bit, all right?"

He nodded. "Thanks. Anyway, how did you learn such a technique? It's not a Shikai release or anything like that, right?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Nope. Believe it or not, it's actually a little something that only members of the Shihōin Clan are capable of."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yup," said Yoruichi, "and only _certain_ members at that. The talent tends to skip a generation or two. It's a bit fickle that way. I think it's also gender dependent; to my knowledge, only the women of my family have ever manifested this ability."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "Interesting. Has this ability always been something that your clan's had?"

"Not quite," Yoruichi replied, "It does go a way back, though. It originated during the reign of the old kingdom."

Itachi hadn't been expecting that. "Really? Was it tied to the Andunayans?"

"Kind of," said Yoruichi, "You remember how my clan was one of those that the five Andunayan princesses married into during the Conquest? As it turned out, the princess that the Shihōin Clan got was more than just a daughter of a king; she was a powerful spell caster. She brought her expertise into our family, along with a considerable archive. My family spent the subsequent millennia building upon it. We might be better known for producing assassins, scouts and spies, but the Shihōin Clan actually has a less well-known history of turning out some highly skilled spell casters. Their powers were often considered closer to outright sorcery than the modern Kidō that's become prevalent in the Soul Society."

"And your shapeshifting ability came from that… sorcery?" asked Itachi cautiously.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. In fact, it was from the greatest caster that was ever born into my clan. Her real name's been lost to history; the records of her that remain refer to her only as the Lady of Midnight."

"That's a rather ominous moniker," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "Her real name… was it really _lost_ , or was there something more going on?"

Yoruichi smirked. "That was faster than I expected. You really _do_ have the brains to match those looks of yours!"

"I don't think my looks are relevant to the conversation at hand," Itachi countered, _quite_ eager to get back to main topic, "This 'Lady of Midnight'… there was no mention of her in any of the Academy history lectures. Her scrubbing from the historical record… what led to it?"

Yoruichi sighed. "Long story short? She was incredibly gifted, but she pushed boundaries to their absolute limits… and one day, she pushed too far. There are lines in Kidō that aren't meant to be crossed, and for good reasons in this case. Suffice to say that the treatment she's been given by posterity, while extreme, isn't _entirely_ unwarranted. Anyway, before she crossed the point of no return, she discovered how to use spirit energy as a means for transformation. I don't know if a cat was the only form that she figured out how to use, but it's the only one that's stuck around my bloodline. That ability has typically manifested itself in members of my clan who have higher than normal levels of spirit energy and successfully go on to refine our powers."

"How did you discover that you were one of the members of the clan that could perform it?" asked Itachi.

"Well, for starters, the Lady of Midnight was at least helpful enough to leave behind a scroll in the family archives with instructions on how to recognize those who might have the potential to achieve the transformation," Yoruichi answered, "It also included a series of spirit energy exercises that those who might have the gift could perform to discover if they were truly capable of it or not. Since only certain women in my clan have been able to pull it off, it's become a tradition for every girl in the family to read that scroll after she's deemed sufficiently powerful and skilled enough to potentially pull it off. I'm simply the latest one in my line to pass the test."

Itachi nodded. "I see. How long are you able to maintain the transformation?"

Yoruichi smiled. "As long as I want. The transformation itself requires a certain expenditure of energy, but staying in that form afterwards is a breeze."

"How many people know that you're capable of this?" he asked.

"Well, obviously Kisuke, Tessai, and Kūkaku for starters," she replied, "Soi-Fon knows too, along with a few other Squad Two officers."

"Would Shisui be one of them?" asked Itachi.

"Yup," she answered, "Feel free to tell Visaelya later too if you want."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You'd trust your two newest officers with a secret like that?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Sure. I've had my eye on you two for more than just your abilities, after all. You're both very bright individuals, and you've got good heads on your shoulders. If I'm going to be counting on you two out in the field, its only right that I let you both in on stuff like this. I've got high hopes for you, and by choosing my division you two have put your trust in me to command you responsibly. I want to be the kind of Captain that returns that sort of trust, especially considering what I'll be asking of you once you start climbing the ranks."

"I appreciate that," said Itachi, "If I tell Visaelya, I'll ask her not to spread the word further. If you're going to trust us with information like this, then the least we can do is honor your confidence. I'm sure she'll feel the same way."

His Captain smiled. "Smart, discrete, and a sense of honor… I _do_ know how to pick 'em!"

Itachi bowed. "I think the two of us owe you that much. Going back to your transformation, can you fight in that form?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Unless my opponents are mice, I'm afraid its combat utility is minimal. It really shines in an information gathering role. I mean, who takes much notice of a cat wandering around? As long as I suppress my spiritual pressure, I can infiltrate basically anywhere I please."

"Does it impact your senses at all?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. I get a nice boost in night vision, and when you combine that with the black fur that form is great for nocturnal scouting. My hearing's improved while I'm transformed as well, and of course the whiskers serve the same purpose with me that they do for any cat. All in all, it's a sweet little package."

"I'll take your word for it," said Itachi.

Yoruichi smirked. "I think I've spent enough time in that form that certain characteristics have rubbed off on me."

"Like what?" asked Itachi.

"For starters, I didn't use to be a huge fan of seafood," said Yoruichi, "Now I'm all for it. Also, after a while milk became my favorite drink. I sometimes get the urge to chase after mice, too."

Itachi nodded. "I see. What about balls of yarn?"

Yoruichi giggled. "Well, if you toss one my way, I might start playing with it if I think no one else is looking!"

Itachi gave a small chuckle. "I'll have to remember that."

Yoruichi playfully elbowed him. "Hey now, don't go thinking that you can bribe me with a bunch of rolled up string! I'm a daughter of nobility, after all."

"And the descendant of royalty and sorceresses to boot," said Itachi, "Yours is quite the fascinating lineage."

She gave him a rather thoughtful look. "Maybe… but I bet yours is just as interesting."

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"I don't know much about your clan," said Yoruichi, "Both you and Shisui have been rather light on the details over the years. Still, based on what I've seen from the two of you, I'm willing to bet that your bloodline's really something special."

"That's… certainly one way to put it," Itachi replied hesitantly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't exactly sound proud of it."

Itachi shook his head. "It's… complicated. Every family has its paragons and demons, after all."

"Is that part of why you're still not getting a full night's worth of sleep?" she asked pointedly.

His eyes widened just a bit. "How…?"

"I'm not blind, Itachi," said Yoruichi firmly, "The meditations you perform during breaks in your training or after your patrols are for more than just to help you catch your breath. They're to help you recoup energy that you _should_ be regaining through sleep."

Itachi nodded; he wouldn't insult her with a lie. "You have sharp eyes."

"I'm a Captain, remember?" she pointed out, "If I can't pick up on these things, then I don't deserve my position."

 _ **And you thought you could still slip it past her.**_

 __ _My mistake._

"Well, no one can accuse you of negligence," said Itachi, "With regards to my lack of sleep… I won't let it impact my duties."

Yoruichi sighed. "I know the Soul Society's nobility has the taboo against prying into the past lives of people who came here from the Realms of the Living, and I want to respect your privacy, but if this keeps up, I'm going to have to step in. Your meditations might be working for you, but how long can you keep this up? You've been operating like this ever since you came to the Soul Society… and if I had to guess, I'd say it's a practice you picked up and refined while you were still alive."

"You're not wrong," Itachi conceded.

She put her hand on his shoulder, and despite her slender frame her grip was quite firm. "So, tell me; how many years has it been since you actually got one full night's worth of sleep?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "A little over fourteen, I think."

When he opened his eyes again, he saw that hers had widened in shock. " _What?_ "

"As you said, I've had time to adapt," he said, "My system might not be ideal, but it's served me well enough."

Yoruichi emphatically shook her head. "It's going to get you killed. Hell, it already _has._ "

"It wasn't lack of sleep that did me in the first time," he replied, "Besides, that was a death that had been more than earned."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "You know what? That's it; screw the taboo. I don't know what the hell happened, but you've been torturing yourself over it for _far_ too long. That ends on my watch. I'm your Captain, which means your wellbeing is my responsibility. That's a duty I take just as seriously as my obligation to protect the Soul Society."

"My past is mine to deal with," he said defensively.

"Clearly you're doing a poor job of it," Yoruichi shot back, "I let it slide while you were at the Academy because I thought you had a handle on it, but I definitely misjudged the situation. Given what I've learned about you over the past six years, the only reason I can think of for that is that whatever happened was absolutely horrific. Am I wrong?"

Itachi looked down, feeling the full weight of the guilt and shame that he'd carried over the past fourteen years. "No…"

He froze for a moment when her hand moved from his shoulder to his cheek, her firm grip becoming the gentlest caress. "Itachi, _look at me._ "

He did so, and he was struck by what he found. It reminded him of that night during their expedition to the Andunayan barrow where she'd called him out the first time for his persistent lack of sleep. The compassion and sympathy glowing in her golden eyes made her gaze utterly entrancing; a spell that, to his grieving soul, felt as powerful as any genjutsu he could've conjured with the Sharingan at the height of his strength.

"Let me help you," she said softly, her voice sweeter than any music, "Not just as your Captain, but as your friend. You've been holding onto this pain for far too long. It's become a chain that's gradually tightening around you, and it'll eventually strangle you completely. I'm not going to let that happen to you. Your future here is so bright; the shadows of your past don't deserve the chance to choke it off. I want to set you free."

Caught under her charms, the walls that he'd spent the past decade and a half building and maintaining finally began to crack. A casual observer wouldn't notice, but he had no doubt that Yoruichi could spot it in his eyes.

He could only manage a single word in reply. "How?"

She smiled. "Meet me in the barracks' kitchen tonight after the others turn in. We'll start there."

….

 _What got into me back there?_

It was a question without an easy answer, although she at least had the solitude to ponder it in her office. Kicking back behind her desk, steam wafting up from a cup of tea in front of her, Yoruichi kept replaying the conversation from earlier in her head. It had started off so casual, just a chance for her to have a little fun and tell her favorite new recruit about her special gift, yet somewhere along the way it had become something entirely different.

With the chance to think things over, it had become clear to her that they were going to reach this point sooner or later. She'd been intrigued by Itachi from the moment she'd met him. His talent for combat had been clear enough from the beginning and certainly played a role in her interest, but there was more to it than that.

Itachi was quite skilled when it came to putting on a calm and aloof front, but Yoruichi had never failed to notice that it was precisely that; a front. Try as he might, there were some things he couldn't hide from a sufficiently experienced observer. Since intelligence and scouting comprised a significant portion of Squad Two and the Stealth Force's duties, Yoruichi was quite adept when it came to picking up even minute hints from peoples' mannerisms. Itachi's were more subdued than others, but they were there just the same if someone knew how to look for them. To Yoruichi, they were as clear as daylight.

He was a man that was torn by his past, restlessly trying to reconcile it with the afterlife he now found himself in. Whatever had happened, it was quite apparent that he was mercilessly punishing himself over it. The fact that he had wound up here rather than Hell should've been all that he'd needed to realize that he was not beyond redemption, but clearly the wounds carved upon his psyche went too deep for that.

Yoruichi might've enjoyed playing around with her subordinates, but she was more than capable of recognizing when they needed genuine help. It had taken her far too long to realize that Itachi was at that point. The hints had certainly been there, particularly when her subordinates in the Stealth Force had reported to her about his apparent insomnia during his time at the Academy. She thought that she had addressed that with him during their talk while they were traveling to the Andunayan barrow, but looking back on that with today's evidence in mind it was abundantly clear that she had failed to properly assess the situation and take the appropriate steps. An argument could be made that since he was in the Academy at the time, she wasn't seeing him as often as she was now that he was her direct subordinate and thus didn't have as many chances back then to properly observe him, but Yoruichi still considered herself to have been negligent.

Intervention was required, and Yoruichi was determined to make up for lost time. It was simple enough to argue that she was doing this out of the desire to improve the mental health of a gifted subordinate, but she knew that there was more to it than that. She had been completely serious earlier when she'd said that she wanted to help him as a friend, not just a Captain. Their interactions over the past six years might've been on-and-off given her responsibilities and him being a student at the Academy, but between her saving his life, investing in his recovery and training after the soul fracture, making sure he got the chance to prove himself on field trips, and her personal efforts to recruit him into Squad Two she was more than willing to consider him a friend at this point.

 _Just a friend, though?_

It was an interesting question. She had to admit, there was a lot to like about Itachi. Maybe he could be a bit too serious for his own good, but she'd caught hints of a softer side to him, even bits of humor when the mood seemed to strike him. Despite his natural gifts he still studied and trained diligently, never taking his astounding progress for granted and always pushing himself to move forward. He was incredibly intelligent for a freshly graduated student, and it was clear that the experience from his past life in the Shinobi World definitely had a hand in that. He'd already demonstrated bravery in battle and a willingness to put himself at risk for the sake of others; the very night they'd first met was proof enough of that. He was a very contemplative young man, always observing his surroundings and trying to learn as much as he could about the afterlife he'd found himself in and what it all meant for himself. He'd also shown that he was willing to face hard truths head-on and was more than capable of asking the questions that others might want to leave alone. In short, he was a fascinating individual.

The fact that he was _quite_ handsome was just the icing on the cake.

 _ **He's your type, isn't he?**_

 __Yoruichi allowed herself a small smile; the spirit of her Zanpakutō certainly knew how to cut to the chase.

 _Perhaps…_

….

Night had fallen, and apart from the occasional Stealth Force sentry making their rounds the Squad Two barracks was as still as stone. It was quite a beautiful evening, with a lovely crescent moon and the sea of stars on full display in the clear sky. On another occasion, Itachi might've stopped to admire the view, perhaps even head up to the rooftops of the barracks to take in its full splendor, but tonight he had a more pressing engagement.

He hadn't been able to get his earlier conversation with Yoruichi out of his head, and as a result the rest of the day seemed to go by so slowly it was almost painful. Itachi wasn't normally one to allow himself to be consumed by anxiety, but the prospect of what might happen tonight had thrown him completely for a loop. On the one hand, part of him had always been tempted to come clean to her about what he had really done in his past life, while the other had steadfastly refused, daunted by fear and shame. He had hoped to be able to spend more time in Squad Two, learning more about his commander as he served her in order to get a better idea as to what her reaction might be when the time for this revelation finally came. Unfortunately, he had dropped his guard during their earlier talk, likely due in no small part to the lingering embarrassment he'd been unable to shake thanks to her bit of teasing with that transformation technique of hers. As a result, he was now walking to a meeting that he knew was not prepared for.

Stopping just outside the kitchen, he took a deep breath in an attempt to keep some measure of composure. Why she'd decided to meet here rather than her office or some other part of the barracks was a mystery to him, but that was a secondary concern at best.

 _Am I really ready for this?_

He'd considered talking to Shisui prior to his appointment with Yoruichi, but his old friend had been on Rukon District patrol duty all day. Itachi had been so wrapped up in his own head that he hadn't even noticed when Squad Two's Tenth Seat had returned, and by the time he realized it Shisui had already turned in for the evening. Itachi was loathe to wake him; given just how vast the Rukon District was, putting in a full day's worth of patrolling out there, even if it was just in a small segment of it, was no easy task. His friend deserved the chance to rest.

 _ **What's done is done**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō gently chided him, _**I think we both knew that it was only a matter of time before this moment arrived. It simply came earlier than either of us expected.**_

 __ _What should I do?_

 _ **Trust the woman who's so graciously reached out her hand to help someone in need. She's shown quite a bit of faith in you thus far. I believe that you'll be pleasantly surprised if you return the gesture. Her desire to aid you is sincere; you know that just as well as I do.**_

 __It didn't completely calm his nerves, but it did help Itachi steady himself a bit. Under the circumstances, that was probably the best that he could hope for.

Quietly opening the kitchen door, he quickly slipped inside and closed it behind him. He needn't have bothered with stealth; apart from him, the only occupant was the lady of the hour, so to speak. His Captain stood next to a table that held only a small candle and a cup with wisps of steam curling out of it. As he approached, Itachi saw that within the cup was a light blue-green drink the likes of which he had never seen before.

"What is this?" he asked.

Yoruichi smiled. "An old family recipe. A cup of this will guarantee you a night of dreamless slumber. My mother occasionally made it for me when I was little and had nightmares."

Itachi gave a soft chuckle. "You, having nightmares? I find that a bit hard to believe."

Yoruichi giggled. "Believe it or not, I wasn't always a powerful Soul Reaper. I might've been an energetic and playful little girl, but even I could get scared at night from time to time. Trust me, I'm speaking from firsthand experience when I say that this will give you the first full night of peaceful sleep that you've had in a long time."

Itachi could only look back and forth between the cup and his Captain. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Good, because that'll give me the chance to lay out my terms," she replied, "This is a pretty powerful concoction, so it's not to be taken lightly. It's best used sparingly, and for good reason; it can become addicting if taken multiple nights in a row."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. What are your terms?"

"First, if you drink this, then I'm giving you tomorrow off," said Yoruichi, "The sleep you'll get from this is a deep one, which is another reason why it shouldn't be taken every night; it's easy to blow right past the time you'd normally wake up for your assigned duties. I'd never give you something like this out in the field because if our encampment was attacked at night, you'd sleep right through it, and that'd be a death sentence."

"It could be the same if the Seireitei were attacked tonight," Itachi pointed out.

Yoruichi shrugged. "True, but the odds of that are significantly lower than they are out in the field, which is why I'm willing to chance it. We're about as secure as we can get here. It's not _impossible_ to attack, but it would be exceedingly difficult. Anyway, that's beside the point. You take this, you don't report for duty tomorrow. No training either, especially with your sword; your reflexes will be a bit sluggish for the first part of the day while this passes through your system, and I don't want you hurting yourself. Deal?"

Itachi gave her a small smile. "That term sounds more like you're doing me a favor than anything else. I'm assuming there's more to this deal than that, though."

Yoruichi nodded. "There is. Itachi… do you trust me?"

His reply came without hesitation. "Yes."

She walked around the table and put her hand over his. "Then my second term is this; tomorrow, once you've had a full night's worth of rest, come find me. I'll be taking the day off too, so don't worry about interfering with a mission. I'll take you somewhere private, and this time I don't mean lightly-travelled streets in the Seireitei. It'll just be the two of us, and there will be no chance whatsoever for eavesdroppers to listen in. Once we're there, you tell me everything, and don't hold back. I promise that what you say to me will not go beyond the two of us. Do you accept?"

Itachi took a deep breath before nodding. "Yes. You'll have the truth… all of it. I give you my word."

She smiled before taking the cup in both hands and offering it to him. "Then take this, and accept a long-overdue peaceful slumber."

Itachi accepted it. The concoction was surprisingly sweet, almost _fruity_ , even. It only took a few seconds for him to down the whole thing.

"How long until it takes effect?" he asked.

"Five minutes or so, tops," she answered, "You'd better get moving."

"All right, then," he said, "and… thank you."

She stepped forward, and before he could react, she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "You've earned it."

His face flushed almost as deeply red as it had earlier that day when she'd been naked in his lap. From the gleaming light in her eyes, Itachi had no doubt that she'd noticed.

"Sleep well, Itachi," she said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Not wanting to keel over in one of the hallways, he rushed back to his quarters, barely even bothering with trying to step quietly. By the time he reached his sleeping roll, his eyelids were already beginning to feel quite heavy.

His head hit the pillow, and just a few moments later he was out like a light.

 **Author's Notes:** As I'm sure you noticed, I made some changes to Kūkaku Shiba's backstory, as well as her and her brothers' precise relation to Isshin. I also decided to have some fun with the story behind Yoruichi's ability to transform into a cat since we don't really get a whole lot in the way of details on that in the canon Bleach story.

With most of the chapters going forward, I'll be trying to split them between Itachi and Jiraiya. That being said, the next one's going to solely be devoted to Itachi's conversation with Yoruichi; he's got quite a bit to tell her, after all. The balance will pick back up in the subsequent chapters, and things will move forward from there. To all of you who have been clamoring for Shikais, don't worry; they're coming, I promise!

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review, and see you next time!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's notes:** Hello there, it's been a while! Sorry for the wait, this one took a wee bit longer than I had originally expected. Admittedly, _Ace Combat Seven: Skies Unknown_ , and _Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice_ might've had a role to play here. The title of that second game's a lie; I've died _way_ more than twice, to put it mildly! Anyway, please permit me a few quick words, and then I'll get out of your hair.

As the end of the last chapter indicated, this one is focused on Itachi explaining his backstory to Yoruichi. My dilemma here was the complexity of that story. After all, it's a hell of a lot more than Itachi just saying "I killed my entire clan save for my little brother to prevent a coup and save my brother's life." When dealing with the Uchiha Clan Massacre, there's a ton of historical context and shifting events that lead to that key moment, as any fan of the Naruto series will know. If Itachi was really going to come clean, then that historical context would need to be related to his lovely Captain as well in order to provide a full understanding.

So, I ultimately decided to go all in. He'll tell her everything, but more than just a straight info-dump. This is the events of those past years from Itachi's perspective, with his own thoughts and conclusions. This naturally means that not all of them are right; after all, he didn't know _everything_ that was going on. I also wanted to make Yoruichi an active participant, with her own commentary, thoughts and clarifying questions. After all, this is essentially an interrogation, even if she's trying to be gentle about it. Did I go overboard with all of this? Probably. I'm a slave to detail, and that's a trait that I accepted long ago. Regardless, I made my choice, and when I make my decisions in my writing, I stick with them going forward and see them through to the end. Also, I decided to blend elements of the anime and the Itachi light novel duology when writing this story, taking parts from both as I felt was necessary to make it a bit more cohesive. I won't make claims to perfection, but I did work damn hard on this, and I'd like to think I've earned the right to indulge in a little bit of pride.

All right, enough from me. You've been warned; it's another long one. Really, you shouldn't expect anything less from me at this point.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter 13: Sins of the Prodigy**

 **The next morning…**

Slowly but surely, Itachi Uchiha began to wake up. His eyelids still seemed unusually heavy, so it took him a while to finally get them open and adjust to the sunlight that was filtering into his room. He could hear the sounds of clashing blades coming from the training yard, along with snippets of conversations from his comrades going about their business. Judging by the background noise and the current level of light, Itachi was surprised to realize that it was nearly noon.

 _She wasn't kidding about it being a deep sleep_ , he thought as he recalled his conversation with Yoruichi from the night before, _I definitely would've blown right through any duties I had today. Good thing she gave me the day off._

He sat there for a moment, marveling at the effect that his Captain's concoction had had on him. True to Yoruichi's word, he'd gotten what he'd been denied for so long; a full and uninterrupted night of sleep. Not so much as a glimpse of the hellish memories that had tormented him as nightmares over the past fourteen years had managed to break through, testament to the efficacy of the Shihōin Clan's powerful potion.

He felt _incredible_. Moving his arms experimentally, he could tell that his reflexes were slower than normal, just as Yoruichi had warned him they'd be, but he also believed her testimony that it would eventually pass. More to the point, his impaired reflexes were more than offset by the sheer sense of rejuvenation that he felt. His spirit energy was flowing through him with renewed vigor, and Itachi realized that his prior lack of healthy sleep had actually adversely affected it before now. It was almost a shame that his Captain had prohibited him from training today; he was itching to see just what he was capable of after a full night's worth of rest.

 _Another time_ , he thought, _I have no intention of violating my deal with Yoruichi today._

Getting dressed, he stopped at the barracks kitchen for a quick meal before heading outside. It was a gorgeous day in the Soul Society, with a pleasantly cool breeze offsetting the beating sun which had scant few clouds to obstruct it as it climbed higher and higher in the sky. He passed by the training yard as he made his way towards Yoruichi's office, with Visaelya catching sight of him as he did so.

"You're up rather late today, Itachi," she said as she approached, "That's not like you. Are you all right?"

Itachi nodded and gave her a small smile. "Better than I've been in quite some time, actually."

She looked puzzled, but she recovered quickly enough. "Oh… well, I'm glad to hear that. Still, you were late for this morning's patrol. I know the Captain's reasonable, but I don't think she'll be happy to hear that you overslept so severely."

Itachi shook her head. "It won't be a problem. Believe it or not, my sleeping in was actually on her orders."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why's that?"

"There's a personal matter that I'm long overdue in attending to," he answered, "The Captain was generous enough to give me time today to do just that. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't say more than that right now."

Visaelya nodded and smiled. "I understand. Will you be returning to duty tomorrow morning, or will this matter take longer than just today to resolve?"

"I'll be joining you for tomorrow morning's patrol," said Itachi, "I have no intention of letting this matter keep me from my duties any longer than necessary."

"I won't delay you any further, then," she replied, "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow morning."

"Likewise," said Itachi.

It took him only a few minutes to make his way to the Captain's office. The door opened as he approached, and Soi-Fon came out into the hallway.

She gave him a courteous nod as he stepped forward. "Good morning, Itachi. Lady Yoruichi's expecting you."

"I hope I'm not late," he said.

Soi-Fon shook her head. "Lady Yoruichi didn't set an exact time for your arrival. In fact, she seems quite at ease with your late rising today."

"Well, I did sleep in on her orders," he pointed out.

"I see," said Soi-Fon, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly, "Well, I'm not sure what Lady Yoruichi has in mind for you today, but I still expect you to conduct yourself as a proper officer. She might be going easy on you this morning, but that's no excuse to slack off and disrespect her."

"Believe me," said Itachi, "disrespecting her is the very last thing I would do, especially today."

Soi-Fon looked puzzled for a moment before simply nodding in response. "I'll hold you to that, then."

With that, she brushed past him and went on her way, leaving his path to the Captain's office unobstructed. Yoruichi stood up to greet him as he shut the door behind him.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said with a smile, "How do you feel, Itachi?"

"It's… difficult to put into words," he said, "I… I haven't slept like that in a long time."

Yoruichi chuckled. "Really knocked you out there, didn't it? I told you it hits hard!"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… you weren't exaggerating its efficacy."

She stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder as she met his gaze. "You look well. I was ready to let you sleep for as long as you needed. One night's not enough to make up for fourteen years, but it looks like you at least got off to a good start."

Itachi gave her a small smile. "I wouldn't have even gotten that if it weren't for you. Thank you, Yoruichi."

"Anytime," she replied, "Of course, now you'll have to make good on our deal. Are you ready for this?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before answering. "Yes."

Yoruichi nodded. "Then come with me. We've got quite a walk ahead of us, and since my family's little potion still needs to finish passing through your system, I know you're not in prime shape for Shunpo."

"I can make Flash Steps just fine," Itachi protested.

Yoruichi shook her head. "Trust me, Itachi; this stuff messes with you in subtler ways than you might think. Even now, your balance is off, and that's pretty important when it comes to Shunpo. I'd hate for you to dislocate something just because you didn't stick the landing."

She smiled as she headed for the door. "Come on, let's get moving. Even without Shunpo, we should still reach our destination with time to spare."

She set a brisk pace, and as they made their way through the streets of the Seireitei Itachi realized that she'd been quite right about the aftereffects her family's concoction. He wasn't even moving at full speed, and yet each step did seem to have a slight wobble to it. His center of gravity was a little bit shaky, and more than once Itachi felt slightly light-headed.

 _No wonder she prohibited training today_ , he thought, _Zanpakutō exercises in this state would be an accident just waiting to happen._

They kept to the main thoroughfares, weaving their way between groups of Soul Reapers and officials going about their business with little difficulty. The sun crept higher and higher into the sky as they progressed, and Itachi wondered just where they were going today. Yoruichi had given him no clues save that it would be somewhere private, and right now their trajectory was taking them deeper into the heart of the Seireitei.

As the continued their journey, Itachi's gaze was drawn to the mammoth geological formation at the center of the Seireitei. Known as Sōkyoku Hill, it was a massive rocky plateau whose sheer cliffs and outwardly jutting edifice were impossible to miss no matter where one stood in the Seireitei. His patrols had taken him close to it before, and it was difficult to keep from stopping just to marvel at its sheer size and scale. Itachi had seen more than his share of impressive pieces of geography during his career as a Shinobi, but Sōkyoku Hill easily put most of them to shame. Built into the side of the looming cliffs were the gleaming white towers of the Senzaikyū, the Palace of Penitence, were criminals condemned to execution would await their fate.

Yoruichi looked over her shoulder and gave him a knowing smile. "Never fails to impress, does it?"

Itachi nodded. "It's certainly distinctive."

Yoruichi smirked. "Try not to get distracted by the view. Once we get close is when things will get tricky."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The place we're going is a special little hideaway known only to a few people," said Yoruichi, "You're about to join a very exclusive club."

As they drew closer to Sōkyoku Hill, he noticed how Yoruichi furtively began to study the scattered Soul Reapers going about their business. He knew that look; it was one he'd worn himself plenty of times as a Shinobi. It was the look of someone checking to see if they were being watched.

"This way," she whispered, nodding towards a small side street.

Itachi followed her, and soon they were off the beaten path altogether and heading into the small forested area that made up part of the base of Sōkyoku Hill. They stepped lightly, both checking for sentries from either the Thirteen Court Guard Squads or the Stealth Force as they progressed. Even with his reflexes still somewhat dulled by the sleeping concoction, Itachi's eyes and ears were up to the task, and with Yoruichi as a guide he wasn't too worried about discovery.

Eventually the trees gave way to a wall of dark brown stone; they'd reached the base of Sōkyoku Hill. Other parts of the Seireitei in immediate proximity to the great rock formation included the main offices of Squad One, but this area Itachi knew was kept the way it was to add some natural beauty to the heart of the Soul Society, and even from a distance he'd seen just how beautiful the cherry blossoms were in these parts come spring time. What was much more interesting to him than the nature surrounding the two of them, though, was a portion of the great cliff that now stood before him. At first glance, it didn't appear different from the rest of the rocky edifice, but Itachi could detect a very faint impression, along with the tiniest hint of spirit energy coming from one small section in particular.

He watched as Yoruichi stepped forward and placed a hand on that small section of rock. Itachi felt a momentary spike in the Captain's spirit energy, and the portion of the cliff she was touching briefly glowed white as a result. The light faded quickly, and then there was a low rumbling as a section of the cliff began to slide to the right, revealing a cave. Peering inside, Itachi saw more white glows begin to appear in the darkness, and as the illumination grew he realized that the sources were crystals mounted on the walls, each imbued with a small amount of spirit energy.

Yoruichi motioned for Itachi to follow her. "Come on in. You're going to love this!"

With nothing better to do, Itachi fell in behind her as she led him through the cave. They'd only travelled a handful of meters when the cave suddenly opened up into a massive cavern that, thanks to many more of those strange illuminating crystals coming to life, quickly became so well-lit that they might as well have been standing outside under the midday sun.

 _This place is huge_ , he thought as he took it all in, _It must take up a significant portion of Sōkyoku Hill's interior…_

Yoruichi grinned. "Impressive, isn't it?"

Itachi nodded absently, still taking it all in. The cavern was massive in scope, with space enough for at least several hundred people. Much of it was flat open rocky surface, but there were areas where the terrain became more varied with mounds, crevasses, and much more besides. He even caught sight of what appeared to be a hot spring off in the distance.

"What is this place?" he asked.

"A secret training ground," Yoruichi answered, "Kisuke built this place a long time ago. The two of us played here when we were younger. It was the perfect place to hone our skills away from prying eyes, and it still is today."

"You achieved your Bankai here, didn't you?" said Itachi as he looked around.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. Just because I became an active duty Soul Reaper didn't mean that I stopped using this place. You can cut loose in here without having to worry about collateral damage, which makes it excellent for developing powerful combat techniques. If I'd done my Bankai training back at the Squad Two barracks… well, let's just say that we would've needed to build new barracks."

"Who all knows about this place?" asked Itachi.

"Apart from Kisuke and I, just Tessai and Kūkaku," Yoruichi replied, "and now you, of course."

"An exclusive club indeed, then," Itachi quipped.

"I know that you're good friends with Shisui and Visaelya," said Yoruichi, "At this point, I honestly don't mind if you let them in on the secret, but I'd still rather keep word of this place from travelling too far. It's nice to have somewhere private to retreat to when you need a bit of space."

Itachi nodded. "I can understand that. Given all that you've done for me… I'll only tell them if it's necessary. You promised to respect my privacy, so the least I can do is return the favor."

Yoruichi gave him a warm smile. "I appreciate that. You're a good guy, Itachi."

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "You might change your mind by the time we're done here today."

He felt her hand fall gently on his shoulder, and when his eyes opened, he was greeted by her golden eyes and the sincerity of her gaze. "I don't believe that."

Time seemed to come to standstill for a moment as he stood there, once again feeling enchanted by the look in her eyes. What he was about to tell her today was a crime that had haunted him for fourteen years and had rightfully led to him being reviled in the Shinobi World. Even with his true motives for his actions taken into account, that did not change the fact that his deeds that fateful night were absolutely horrific.

And yet…

…if there was anyone else in the Soul Society apart from Jiraiya who could possibly accept what he had done and why he had done it…

… it just might be the woman standing before him now.

 _There's only one way to find out._

"In that case," he said, "we should sit down. This is going to take a while."

….

Yoruichi watched as Itachi closed his eyes again for a few seconds, clearly trying to put his thoughts in order. That didn't surprise her; if it was bad enough to have given him a sever case of insomnia over the past fourteen years, then trying to sort through it all in a single day would be no easy task.

When he opened his eyes again, he sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to stall, I promise. It's just… well, it's hard to figure out where to start. There's a lot of historical context that you need to know in order to fully understand what happened… what I did."

Yoruichi smiled, hoping to encourage him. "Hey, it's all right. We've got plenty of time. I'm in no rush."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you. I… I suppose it'd be best to go back to the roots of it all. How much do you know about the Shinobi World?"

"Less than I should," she admitted, "Beyond what I've learned from Shisui over the years, not a whole lot, and it wasn't hard for me to tell that he was holding back too. I didn't press him because I wanted to respect his privacy, plus there was that whole taboo about inquiring into past lives that I mentioned to you before."

"Our parts in this affair were linked," said Itachi, "I'm not surprised that he didn't want to talk about it."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Still, I can't help but notice that, between the two of you, you're the only one who seems to be losing sleep over whatever it was that happened back then."

"There's a good reason for that," Itachi replied, "Speaking of Shisui… part of what I'm going to tell you involves information that he originally requested that I keep hidden... even from you. Please understand that he meant no disrespect; he simply wanted to be cautious. The past was an effective teacher."

Yoruichi nodded. "I can understand that, and normally I wouldn't want you to breach a confidence like that. Still, if it involves what's been keeping you up at night these past fourteen years, I'm going to need to hear it."

"Of course," said Itachi, "but, please… it can't spread further."

Yoruichi put her hand on his shoulder again. "Remember what I told you last night? What you say here won't go beyond me or this place. I gave you my word, and I intend to keep it."

He gave her a small smile. "I appreciate that."

He took one last moment to gather his thoughts before starting in earnest. "Has Shisui told you anything regarding the countries and Hidden Villages that dominate the Shinobi World?"

"Just some general information," Yoruichi replied, "I did a little bit of independent studying too. Basically, the Hidden Villages supply the Shinobi that are employed by the countries of your world, right?"

Itachi nodded. "That's correct. A country's standing in the world is in part determined by the strength of its affiliated Hidden Village. Shisui, Jiraiya and I were all from the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and by extension the Land of Fire. However, the formation of larger countries and the Hidden Villages as a whole was actually a relatively recent development. For a far longer period of time, the world was split into many smaller countries, and the large Hidden Villages didn't exist at all. These countries were constantly fighting each other for land, power, and wealth, so the era was known as the Warring States Period."

"A bit lacking in originality," Yoruichi pointed out, "It's hardly the first Realm of the Living to use that term for a piece of its history."

"True," said Itachi, "although in the Shinobi World's defense, I'm pretty sure they're completely unaware of the existence of any other Realms of the Living. Anyway, back then Shinobi were divided into disparate clans, and the warring countries would hire these clans to fight against their rivals. The clans sold their services to the highest bidder, and just as the countries themselves vied for dominance in the military and political arena, so to did the Shinobi clans. Amidst the constant bloodshed, two clans rose above all the others to become the most prominent and powerful of their time."

Yoruichi smiled. "Let me guess; the Uchiha Clan was one of them."

"That's correct," Itachi answered, "Martial prowess came naturally to our clan. Of course, when biology gives you an unfair advantage over others, that shouldn't really come as a surprise."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Biology? You look human to me. What am I missing here?"

Itachi sighed. "It's what Shisui had wanted me to keep hidden. Members of the Uchiha Clan possess what's known in the Shinobi World as a Kekkei Genkai; a bloodline trait. Several clans throughout the Shinobi World have their own Kekkei Genkai, allowing them to stand out from rival clans and become greater threats on the battlefield. Ours was one of the most famous in that Realm of the Living; an ocular Kekkei Genkai known as the Sharingan."

Yoruichi leaned forward, peering into the onyx gems that were Itachi's eyes. "Well, you've got yourself some lovely eyes, but apart from that they don't look all that special."

She had the satisfaction of seeing the hint of a blush flash briefly across his face. "Thanks… I think."

Yoruichi giggled. "All right, I'll stop teasing you! So, what makes your clan's eyes so famous?"

"The Sharingan," Itachi replied, "It manifests itself as crimson irises with the pupils orbited by black tomoe, with a maximum amount of three in each eye. When a member of the Uchiha Clan experiences a powerful emotional condition, typically linked to someone precious to them, their brain releases chakra that stimulates the optic nerves. This is how the Sharingan first appears. It typically starts with a single tomoe orbiting the pupil of each eye, with the three that I mentioned earlier being reached after the user's Sharingan has fully matured."

Yoruichi smiled. "Picturing it in my mind, it sounds kind of pretty. So, you used to have eyes like that back when you were alive?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, although I should clarify; even after it's manifested, the Sharingan is not constantly active. The wielder can choose when to activate it, so when it's not in use the wielder's eyes take on their normal appearance."

She saw him look down for a moment, and when he met her gaze again it was hard to miss the guilt in his expression. "This is how Shisui's been able to hide his Sharingan since he reawakened it after death. He hasn't used it openly, instead waiting for moments in missions where you or other members of Squad Two have not been present."

Yoruichi's eyes widened slightly as she processed the implications. "So, you both lost the Sharingan when you died… but you're able to get it back. How come Shisui's regained it, but not you?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You're not concerned that Shisui's been hiding his Sharingan from you?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about it at all, but he's proven himself loyal to Squad Two since he joined. Besides, I take it his motives are linked in no small part to what we're going to be talking about today. Am I wrong?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, you're not."

"Then I'll be learning his real motives as our conversation goes along," said Yoruichi, "So, back to my original question; why's Shisui the only one out of the two of you to have gotten his Sharingan back since coming to the Soul Society?"

"From what he's told me," Itachi replied, "it seems that the regaining of the Sharingan was tied to two factors; his growth as a Soul Reaper and outside emotional stimulus. Do you remember the joint operation we had with Squad Ten two years ago?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Hard to forget it. For students, you, Jiraiya and Visaelya all acquitted yourselves remarkably well."

"Thank you," said Itachi, "Had you not allowed Shisui to pursue those Hollows up to the surface, though, things could've taken a turn for the worst."

"Good thing I made the right call, then," said Yoruichi, "So, what's that old mission got to do with the Sharingan?"

"After the fighting died down and Rija took Visaelya to the Squad Four detachment for medical treatment, Shisui showed me his Sharingan," Itachi answered, "He said that he'd regained it the same day he unlocked his Shikai and believed the two were linked. From what he told me, emotional stimulus also played a key role; a comrade was in danger, and the desire to save them provided the necessary key to unlocking the power required to rescue them."

Yoruichi nodded. "I see. I think I remember the incident he told you about. The Soul Reaper he saved was a fellow Squad Two officer, and they praised his actions in their mission report. They mentioned his Shikai, but nothing about Shisui's eyes."

"That doesn't surprise me," said Itachi, "When an Uchiha unlocks the Sharingan, it's impossible for them to miss the sudden surge in chakra that accompanies it. Shisui didn't go into the details, but I'm willing to bet that his spirit energy behaved in a similar manner. He probably recognized this cue and made sure that the officer he was saving couldn't see his eyes. Given the nature of his Shikai, I believe that alone likely served as a sufficient distraction to any potential witnesses."

Yoruichi smirked. "You're probably right. I've seen his Shikai in action, so I can understand why other Soul Reapers would focus on that rather than his eyes. So, you think that the reason you haven't unlocked your Sharingan yet is that it's tied to you achieving Shikai?"

Itachi nodded. "That and the required emotional stimulus, yes. Ever since the spirit of my Zanpakutō awakened, I've been trying to learn her name, but it still eludes me. I visit her in my inner world every day, but apart from continuing to sharpen my swordsmanship through our sparring matches I don't seem to be making much headway."

Yoruichi could sense his self-doubt a mile away and wanted to nip it in the bud. "There's no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving Shikai. You're doing everything right in my book. Shikai takes time, even for gifted Soul Reapers. If yours is tied to you unlocking your Sharingan, then I'm willing to bet that you've got a better chance at this point of achieving it while you're out in the field. After all, that's the best place to find that sharp emotional stimulus that's required to bring out those special eyes of yours."

He seemed to regain a small measure of surety at her words. "You may be right…"

She gave him a gentle nudge with her elbow. " _May_ be right? Hey, I'm your Captain; give me a little more credit than that!"

She was relieved to see a small smile appear on his face in response to her ribbing. "Of course. My apologies."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Don't worry about it. So, what makes the Sharingan so special? What's it capable of?"

Itachi chuckled. "Well, there's quite the laundry list when it comes to its powers. I suppose the best way to start is to break it down the aspects of the Sharingan into two broad subcategories. The first would be the Eye of Insight, and the second would be the Eye of Hypnotism."

"Ooh, intriguing!" she said with a grin, "Tell me more."

Itachi nodded. "The Eye of Insight can be thought of as a general enhancement in vision, although there's more to it than that. It allows the wielder to see chakra and gives it certain colors, which allow the user to recognize unique composition and sources. It can also view that chakra through some obstructions, although by no means all of them. There's another ocular Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan of the Hyūga Clan, that does a better job at this than the Sharingan."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Chakra's the energy that you and Shisui used in the Shinobi World, but in the Soul Society that's been replaced by spirit energy. Does the Sharingan's ability to view chakra also allow it to perceive and analyze spirit energy?"

"Based on what I've heard from Shisui, it does," Itachi answered.

"Interesting..." Yoruichi murmured as she mulled it over, "That'd actually make it pretty useful in combat against other Soul Reapers. You'd be able to perceive the fluctuations in their spirit energy, particularly when they're about to release their Zanpakutō or utilize Kidō. As for Hollows, I imagine it'd give you a heads up for when the stronger ones are prepping to fire off a Cero."

"You're right about that," said Itachi, "Those aren't the only benefits of the Eye of Insight, though. It also grants the wielder enormous clarity of perception, which can be put to a variety of uses. This is particularly powerful in combat, as the user can read even the slightest muscle tension in their opponents and use that to anticipate their moves. Lip-reading and being able to mimic the movements of others are also common uses, and they make the Sharingan an invaluable tool for reconnaissance and espionage. They are also part of why the Sharingan is also known in the Shinobi World as the Copycat Eye, because this enhanced perception allows us to comprehend and then copy the ninja arts of our adversaries. We also retain knowledge of their techniques and can add them to our own arsenal."

Yoruichi whistled. "Copying your opponent's moves and making them your own? That sounds like it'd be _very_ handy in a tight spot."

"There are limitations," Itachi pointed out, "A Sharingan wielder can copy a wide variety of techniques, but it cannot do so with regards to abilities that are the specific product of another Kekkei Genkai since these are powers based as much in the user's bloodline as they are in skill. Also, a Sharingan user's body needs to be able to perform the techniques that they observe, and this requires training. For example, if I had my Sharingan unlocked I could use it to analyze your techniques in Zanjutsu and Hakuda, but I'd be unable to match your level of proficiency and speed without first working to improve my own physical conditioning and abilities."

Yoruichi nodded. "In other words, even if your eyes perceive the techniques, that knowledge can't be translated into the ability to perform them to their fullest extent yourself if your body can't keep up."

"Well spoken," said Itachi.

Yoruichi rubbed her chin in thought. "If you were to reawaken your Sharingan, would you be able to copy a Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō?"

Itachi shook his head. "I highly doubt it. From what I understand, a Zanpakutō is intrinsically linked to the wielder's soul. In a way, that kind of connection could be considered similar to a Kekkei Genkai in that it's not simply a learned technique, but a part of the wielder's physical and spiritual being. I could probably perceive the nature of their Zanpakutō and gain a better understanding of any unique powers it possesses, but being able to copy them would likely be beyond my reach. Shisui's probably already come to a similar conclusion."

"I see," said Yoruichi, "Still, overall it sounds like this Eye of Insight will be incredibly useful for you once you unlock your Sharingan. I can already think of quite a few ways you could apply it in your duties as a member of Squad Two."

Itachi nodded. "Yes, and that's not even factoring in the Eye of Hypnotism."

Yoruichi smiled. "I almost forgot about that. So, what can that baby do?"

"Have you ever heard of genjutsu?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "I think I came across that term once or twice when I was browsing the records on your Realm of the Living. It involves illusionary techniques, right?"

"Correct," Itachi replied, "The Sharingan greatly enhances a Shinobi's ability to perform genjutsu, to the point that illusions crafted by skilled practitioners can be some of the most subtle and convincing in the whole of the Shinobi World. Eye contact is the primary way in which a Sharingan user begins casting genjutsu through the Eye of Hypnotism. Once the target is ensnared, they can be compelled to act through suggestion, and an experienced practitioner can carry this out without their opponent even being aware of it. In extreme cases, this influence can get rather close to outright mind-control."

Yoruichi couldn't stop a chill from running down her spine. "That's… rather creepy."

Itachi sighed. "I know. It's a power that can very easily be abused… even by those who may seek to use it with noble intentions. I… wasn't above doing so."

He looked down for a moment, shame clear in his eyes. "I won't blame you if you have doubts about my… integrity. I've certainly earned such suspicion."

Yoruichi reached over and cupped his chin in her hand, making sure to force his gaze up so that it met hers. "If I was afraid of you using this power on me, would I be looking you in the eye right now?"

"You know I don't have the Sharingan right now," Itachi countered, "Meeting my gaze is safe for the time being."

Yoruichi smiled. "And it'll be safe when you get it back. Itachi, if you're going to trust me with everything that you're telling me today, I think the least that I owe you is the benefit of the doubt."

His eyes widened ever so slightly. "Yoruichi…"

"I have faith in you, Itachi," she said, "In the six years I've known you so far, you've validated that faith. I like to think of myself as a good judge of character, so I'm willing to gamble that even after you get these special eyes of yours back, I'll be able to trust you with them."

"Besides," she continued with a wink before releasing her grip on his chin, "I bet that you'll look damn good with them!"

She had the satisfaction of seeing his face briefly flush red. "I'll… let you be the judge of that."

He cleared his throat, apparently eager to regain some semblance of control over the conversation. "You should know that the Eye of Hypnotism isn't flawless. A Sharingan wielder has to be able to maintain their focus in order for it to work. They're particularly vulnerable if they attempt to ensnare multiple foes. The greater the number of targets, the more divided the wielder's attention becomes, which means that the enemy has a better chance of escape the genjutsu."

Yoruichi nodded. "In other words, it's most effective in one-on-one encounters."

"Yes," he replied, "Also, a sufficiently disciplined mind can be capable of recognizing when its caught in an illusion. From there, the victim can begin to reassert control and eventually break the spell. That's why subtlety is so important for someone using the Eye of Hypnotism; the key is to have the illusion blend so seamlessly with reality that it becomes impossible for the target to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. Ideally, they'd never even recognize that they've been ensnared at all."

Yoruichi smirked. "So, you _could_ make them see all sorts of twisted and scary things, but it's much more practical to keep the illusions as realistic as possible. Man, it's too bad you weren't in the Soul Society back when Kisuke and I were kids; we would've had a _ball_ with using your powers for pranks!"

She was pleased to see a small smile grace his features; it was good to know that she could help lighten the mood even when he was dredging up shadows that had haunted him for far too long. "I imagine so. It… would've been fun."

Yoruichi chuckled. "Well, maybe we can dust that idea off when you get the Sharingan back."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You seem pretty confident that I'll regain it. It's hardly guaranteed."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Oh, please. You said it's linked to you gaining your Shikai, right? At the rate you're going, that's probably not too far off. You'll get it back. Call it a hunch."

Itachi nodded. "Well, when I do, you'll be the first to know. I think I owe you at least that much."

"We can worry about that later," said Yoruichi, "So, does that about wrap up the Eye of Hypnotism?"

"Not quite," Itachi replied, "There's one more aspect of it. This isn't really classified as an actual ability, but a skilled user of the Sharingan can actually make it appear to their opponents like they can see the future."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Really? How do you pull that off?"

"It's actually something of a combination of traits of the Eye of Insight and the Eye of Hypnotism," said Itachi, "Basically, we observe all aspects of our foes; the slightest movements, their mannerisms, speech patterns, and even their thoughts if we can successfully ensnare them in genjutsu. After that we're able to suggest actions, like the hand signs needed for certain ninjutsu, and the enemy will begin performing them. The trick is to suggest an action that we've already seen and copied, so that we end up performing the technique faster than the opponent. This illusion of future-sight on our part can confuse and demoralize opponents, making them much easier to defeat."

Yoruichi grinned. "You Uchiha fight _dirty_ , don't you? No wonder you and Shisui are such a perfect fit for Squad Two!"

Itachi gave a slight smirk. "I suppose these traits would make us a poor fit for divisions that focus more on honorable direct combat. It's not that we're incapable of fighting in such a manner, but our training as Shinobi emphasized using any means necessary to achieve victory. Honor has no place there."

"Squad Eleven's going to _hate_ you when you get your Sharingan back," said Yoruichi, "I hope you don't mind if I use that to get under their skin; it's fun to mess with the brutes' heads from time to time."

"As long as you don't ask me to do anything that will inflict permanent harm," said Itachi, "They're still our allies, after all."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Fair enough."

Itachi nodded. "With such powers at our disposal, it was difficult for most of the other clans to match us in combat during the Warring States Period. There was one that could challenge us, though; the Senju Clan."

"Did they have special eyes too?" asked Yoruichi.

Itachi shook his head. "No. Rather, they were renowned for their balanced skills in all aspects of the Shinobi arts. The Sharingan gave the Uchiha Clan incredible abilities to draw upon, but with it came two major flaws; arrogance and overreliance. Our pride in our ocular prowess led to us underestimating other clans while at the same time, ironically and metaphorically, narrowing our field of vision."

"When all you have is a hammer, all other problems start to resemble nails," said Yoruichi, "Sound about right?"

"Quite so," Itachi replied, "While the clan produced astounding individual fighters, as a whole the Uchiha became less versatile. The Senju were able to exploit this and reached a level of parity with the Uchiha. Once it became known that there was a Shinobi faction out there capable of rivaling us, a pattern began to emerge in the conflicts of that era; one side in a particular regional war would hire the Uchiha Clan, while their opponents would hire the Senju Clan. Clashes between Uchiha and Senju became commonplace, and as a result bitter grudges and fierce hatred built up between the clans as the Warring States Period dragged on."

Yoruichi could see where this was going. "They got caught in the cycle of revenge, didn't they?"

Itachi sighed. "Yes. An Uchiha would kill a Senju, a Senju an Uchiha… on and on it went. It appeared that the two clans would be locked in a state of eternal warfare, but a twist of fate planted the seeds for reconciliation."

Yoruichi leaned forward. "Really? What was it?"

"Well, according to historical texts, a Senju and an Uchiha met without knowing that they were from rival clans," Itachi answered, "In the Warring States Period, it was common for people to withhold their family names when they met strangers out of fear of meeting an enemy and sparking a fight. The respective Senju and Uchiha from this incident were children at the time; apparently, they played at the same river. Their names were Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, and eventually they would become the most powerful Shinobi of their respective clans. In time they learned each other's identities, and inevitably they would clash in open battle."

Yoruichi closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the tragic encounters that must've taken place. "Talk about a rough break."

When she opened her eyes again, she saw Itachi nod. "Yes… and yet without it, what happened next would not have been possible. Due to their incredible skill and strength, both Hashirama and Madara wound up the leaders of the Senju and Uchiha Clans. After a final clash, the Senju immerged victorious, yet what happened next was not an orgy of bloodletting that an outside observer might've expected. Hashirama, against all odds, managed to convince Madara to accept a truce. From that truce came what would've been considered impossible to the Shinobi of that era; not just peace between the Senju and Uchiha Clans, but an _alliance_ , no less."

Yoruichi whistled. "Forging an alliance with his clan's most bitter enemies? This Hashirama must've been quite a guy."

Itachi nodded. "That he was. Of course, it's unlikely he would've been able to accomplish such a feat without having a powerful connection with the opposing leader. His childhood friendship with Madara wound up being the key to peace. Had it been another Uchiha leading the clan, one that Hashirama did not have that past bond with, and the alliance likely would not have been possible."

"Good point," Yoruichi conceded, "So, what happened next?"

"The two clans formed a pact," Itachi answered, "They entered into an arrangement with the Land of Fire, allowing them to establish a central Shinobi village within its borders. In time, it would become known as the Village Hidden in the Leaves, the hometown of Shisui, Jiraiya and myself. In exchange for support from the ruling Daimyō, including financial backing, the Shinobi of the Leaf Village would protect the Land of Fire from external threats. The Shinobi would also help keep the peace within the realm, while at the same time selling their services to both domestic and foreign clients provided those contracts did not harm the interests of the Land of Fire."

"In other words, they settled down and coordinated their mercenary activities in service to a new homeland," said Yoruichi, "Sound about right?"

"An apt a way as any to put it," Itachi admitted, "This had great repercussions, though. With the Senju and the Uchiha now united under a single banner, no single clan in the Shinobi World would be able to challenge them. Local clans already living within the Land of Fire either flocked to the Leaf Village to pledge fealty and join this new great power or scattered across the world. Other nations realized that the Land of Fire had become a military powerhouse by playing host to the two strongest clans, and the only way to catch up would be to replicate what they had done. In short, the founding of the Leaf Village forced rival powers to create their own Shinobi villages, bringing together many clans under unity banners and entering into similar pacts. This marked the end of the Warring States Period and the beginning of the modern Shinobi World."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "And within the Land of Fire, the Senju and the Uchiha would dominate Shinobi affairs. They could set both foreign and domestic policy thanks to their power. That had to have led to some friction, both inside the village and otherwise."

"From what I understand, there likely was some wariness on the part of the Daimyō's retainers," said Itachi, "Still, the newfound order and stability was enough to win them over. The village made it a point to not interfere too aggressively into the affairs of the Daimyō, and in return the Daimyō allowed the village to act more or less as an autonomous entity. The real tensions would be within the village; after all, generations of bitter hatred can't just be buried overnight."

Yoruichi nodded. "The Senju and Uchiha would've had to achieve a new balance of power to ensure that the village wouldn't become consumed by civil war. Even if the Senju had become strong enough to defeat the Uchiha in the final years of the Warring States Period, any new conflict would've devastated both clans and left them wide open to attack from the outside. How did they keep new brushfires from flaring within their own community?"

Itachi sighed. "The old rivalries might've been reduced, but eliminating them entirely was a tall order. In hindsight, it may well have been impossible. There were dustups right from the start, particularly when it came to the selection of the Leaf Village's First Hokage."

"That'd be the overall leader, right?" asked Yoruichi.

"Correct," Itachi answered, "Naturally, the two top candidates for the position were Hashirama and Madara. The villagers ultimately decided on Hashirama, and Madara did not take this well. From what I've read of that era, it seems that Madara interpreted Hashirama's rise to the position of Hokage as a step towards establishing Senju supremacy over the Uchiha. He feared the diminishment of the Uchiha and attempted to rally the clan in opposition. His supporters were few and far between, though. By this time, the majority of the Uchiha Clan were weary of conflict and wanted to give the fragile peace a chance to become something firmer. As a result, the Uchiha Clan largely backed Hashirama in the Hokage selection."

Yoruichi grimaced; it wasn't hard to see where this was going. "So Madara lost the support of his own clan, eh? I'm going to go out on a limb and say he didn't react too well to that. Am I on target?"

Itachi nodded. "Bullseye. The history texts regarding that era claim it was fear of Senju dominance that led Madara to challenge Hashirama later on, but I've often wondered if wounded pride played a role in his decision as well. Regardless of the reasons, Madara faced off with Hashirama without any support from the Uchiha Clan, and the devastation their clash wrought upon their chosen battlefield altered the very landscape itself; the ravine that was formed from the engagement was subsequently known as the Valley of the End. Hashirama emerged victorious, and Madara was believed to have been slain."

Yoruichi leaned forward slightly. " _Believed_ to have been slain? Wouldn't Hashirama know for sure if he'd killed Madara?"

"The official account was that he _did_ kill Madara," Itachi replied, "At the time of my death, that was still the version most of the world believed. However, certain events had led me to question the official version. I'll come back to that in a little while. With Madara's supposed passing, the most powerful opponent to Hashirama taking on the title of First Hokage was removed. Perhaps a few members of the Uchiha Clan or other families might've grumbled a bit, but for the most part the decision was broadly accepted. For his part, Hashirama did not hold Madara's actions against the Uchiha Clan as a whole and pressed forward with growing the village and making sure it would remain a home to the Senju and Uchiha Clans, along with any others who wished to join in the newfound prosperity. However, there were those that did not forget the clash between Hashirama and Madara, and from them seeds were planted that would later bear bitter fruits."

"Any figures in particular I need to be aware of?" Yoruichi asked.

"One more than others," Itachi answered, "For all his gifts in the Shinobi arts, Hashirama Senju was in the end still mortal. Although he was indispensable to the founding of the Village Hidden in the Leaves and the ending of the Warring States Period, ultimately the peace he worked so hard to establish wouldn't be permanent. Although the prior era of constant warfare was a thing of the past, new conflicts did still emerge, and he eventually met his end in battle. The title of Hokage then passed to Tobirama Senju, Hashirama's younger brother."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Did Tobirama become Hokage simply _because_ he was Hashirama's brother, or was there actual merit to go along with the pedigree?"

Itachi's brow furrowed as he considered her question. "From what I understand, Hashirama personally directed that the title of Hokage be passed down to Tobirama upon his death. I think both bloodline _and_ ability played a role in his ascension. While not as prominent as Hashirama, Tobirama was a powerful Shinobi in his own right. In fact, he was strong enough to mortally wound Madara's younger brother, Izuna Uchiha, during one of the many wars that the rival clans had participated in prior to their alliance. He also proved himself to be quite capable when it came to matters of leadership. You could consider him to be the pragmatist to Hashirama's idealist. I believe that Hashirama picked Tobirama partially because he was his brother, but also because he had confidence in his abilities and temperament. Of course, that's simply my own speculation."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "How did the Uchiha take his ascension?"

"It was a mixed reception," said Itachi, "Tobirama might've gone along with his older brother in the establishment of the Hidden Leaf Village, but he remained wary of the Uchiha Clan. There was more to it than simply old clan rivalries, though; Tobirama's ideals and governing philosophy clashed considerably with how the Uchiha Clan's viewed itself in the past."

Yoruichi was curious. "How so?"

"Remember what I told you earlier about the Uchiha Clan's pride?" Itachi asked.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. How does it play into this?"

"It's a common thread throughout this tale," Itachi replied, "In this particular instance, their fixation on the desires of the clan stood in stark contrast to Tobirama's emphasis on the well-being of the village as a whole. This resulted in him making decisions that were unpopular with the Uchiha, and to some it gave the appearance of him being prejudiced against them. It may have been the desire to counterbalance some of this animosity that led Tobirama to found the Leaf Village Military Police Force and place it under the charge of the Uchiha Clan, giving them the responsibility of enforcing law and order. His stated reason for doing so was to provide a gesture of trust and good faith from the Senju Clan to the Uchiha, reconciling with them and giving them a place of honor and prestige within the village."

Yoruichi sensed an opening and did not hesitate to pounce. "Did the Uchiha Clan believe him? Do you think he was sincere regarding his motives?"

Itachi sighed. "It's difficult to say. Thanks to my abilities when I was alive, I was given access to the Uchiha Clan's archives, so I was able to review accounts of multiple clan members who were alive during that time period. On the one hand, the selection of the Uchiha Clan to head up the Military Police Force made sense as a practical matter. The Sharingan's quite useful at countering the abilities of other Shinobi, so who better than the Uchiha to police a Shinobi village? The power of the organization was considerable, although they did not have the authority to arrest members of the Anbu Black Ops without a warrant as they reported directly to the Hokage."

"Anbu Black Ops?" she repeated, not even trying to hide her puzzlement.

"Think of them as an analogue to the Stealth Force," said Itachi, "The Executive Militia would probably be the closest equivalent your organization has to them."

Yoruichi nodded. "Got it."

"Anyway, the Military Police Force's prominence in village affairs was substantial," Itachi continued, "However, while they enforced the laws, they did not have the power to make them. That authority was held by the Hokage."

Yoruichi clasped her hands, her mind taking that train of though to its logical conclusion. "And the Hokage that founded the Military Police Force was a Senju. In practical terms, the Uchiha were becoming subservient to the Senju, just as Madara had feared."

"That's right," Itachi replied, "Several members of the clan believed that Tobirama's real motives for creating the Military Police Force and having it made up primarily of the Uchiha was a means for the Second Hokage to control the clan while at the same time keeping them out of the actual governance of the village, reducing them to merely being enforcers. Publicly, Tobirama countered that his intentions were to harness the powerful emotions of the Uchiha Clan and channel them in a productive direction while at the same time allowing the village to benefit from the legendary dedication members of the clan were known to possess. How many Uchiha believed him is something I cannot say for sure. As for your second question… based on my studies of that era, I believe it was it was something of a mixed bag. On the one hand, the Second Hokage did invest considerable resources into setting up the Military Police Force, and since he had fought so many battles against the Uchiha Clan in the past he understood better than most just how effective their abilities would be in keeping order within the Leaf Village. However, it's certainly possible that lingering suspicions on his part meant that he _did_ see this as a way to control and potentially isolate the Uchiha Clan should they begin to drift back towards their old hostility regarding the Senju."

"Meanwhile, any member of the Uchiha Clan could draw their own conclusions," Yoruichi murmured, "Accept their prominence in the Military Police Force for what it was at face value, or look at shadows and allow suspicion to take root."

Itachi nodded. "Exactly. Matters probably weren't helped by the Second Hokage's personality. From what I understand, he wasn't as charismatic and open as his older brother. Instead, he was very composed and stern, which probably meant that he came across as harsh to those who were already predisposed towards distrusting him. He was a powerful Shinobi and capable administrator, dedicated to the security and long-term prosperity of the Leaf Village, but this meant that sacrifice was required of both individual Shinobi and clans to contribute to the strength of the greater whole. For the Uchiha, who'd been almost single-minded in the elevation of the individual and the clan since the Warring States Period, Tobirama's ideology would be difficult to accept… and it'd be all too easy for them to see it as an insult to what they believed to be their greatness."

"A prideful clan who deemed their status was under threat by another clan that had once been their mortal enemies and was now essentially being governed by them," said Yoruichi grimly, "There's no way that would end well."

"The future's not written in stone," Itachi reminded her, "Some Uchiha might've felt hostile towards the arrangement they found themselves in, but others wanted to move forward and help keep the peace. The seeds for what followed may have already been planted, but their fruition was not preordained, and there were chances to alter the flow of history for the better."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Sure, but if all this had a happy ending then it wouldn't have kept you from getting a single decent night's worth of sleep over the past fourteen years."

Itachi sighed. "You're right. The peace held for quite some time, but eventually it began to unravel. Looking back, I think the march down the road to ruin and tragedy truly started on the last night of the Fourth Hokage's reign."

"What happened?" asked Yoruichi.

Rather than answer the question directly, Itachi riposted with one of his own. "In your studies regarding the Shinobi World, have you ever come across references to beings known as Tailed Beasts?"

Yoruichi's brow furrowed for a moment as she sorted through her memories. "I think that term popped up once or twice, but there wasn't much in the way of context. Honestly, I'm pretty sure I just skimmed over that one. Seems that might've been a mistake."

"Unfortunately, yes," said Itachi, "To summarize, Tailed Beasts are massive creatures formed from incredible concentrations of chakra. According to legend, they were originally all part of a single being known as the Ten-Tails, but eventually that entity was split up. The resulting creatures were identified by the number of tails they had, from one to nine. Due to their incredible strength, they were highly sought-after by Shinobi who wished to turn that awesome power to their ends. In time, these Tailed Beasts were sealed away in order to ensure that they couldn't freely roam and potentially devastate the lands."

"Just how powerful were these things?" she asked.

Itachi's eyes narrowed for a moment as he mulled it over. "In terms of raw power… I'd say that each Tailed Beast could easily eclipse a Captain's strength."

Yoruichi whistled. "Damn! That's a ton of energy to throw around."

"Yes," said Itachi, "hence the desire of Shinobi to have them sealed away. Occasionally they'd be imprisoned in some geographic location, but the most common method was actually to seal them inside a human being. These hosts became known as jinchūriki, and they were highly sought after by the nations of the world and their respective Shinobi villages."

"Let me guess," said Yoruichi, "They were wanted as living weapons, right?"

Itachi nodded. "Spot on. During his tenure as the First Hokage, Hashirama took steps to make sure that the Tailed Beasts and their respective jinchūriki were divided amongst the Shinobi villages in order to create a balance of power, theoretically deterring war. Each time a host died, though, a new one would have to be found quickly in order to once again seal the Tailed Beasts."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "How did the beasts feel about this system? Or the hosts, for that matter?"

Itachi chuckled ruefully. "How would _you_ feel if you knew that others saw your very existence as a threat? To know that you are nothing more than a weapon at their disposal, one to be purged at the first sign of misfiring?"

Yoruichi sighed. "Point taken. I bet if one these beasts got free, they'd be pretty eager for some payback."

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them Yoruichi did not fail to notice the haunted look in his gaze. "Yes… and one night, that's what happened. The Nine Tailed Fox was the beast that the Leaf Village was supposed to possess. However, somehow it broke loose and went on a rampage... and the Leaf Village was the target."

This was more than just him reciting something he'd read, Yoruichi realized; his demeanor alone was proof enough of that. "You were there, weren't you?"

"Yes and no," Itachi replied, "I wasn't on the front lines, but I _was_ in the village during the attack. I was five years old at the time, so due to my age I wasn't even a Shinobi at the time. Even if I had been, at that age there's no way I would've been allowed to face the Nine Tailed Fox with the adults. I remained at home with my little brother, Sasuke. He was only a year old at the time, and I was determined to protect him."

Yoruichi smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. "You cared for him deeply, didn't you?"

Itachi mustered a small smile in response, although the sadness in his gaze gave Yoruichi a hint at the tragedy she was sure lay ahead. "I did… and I still do."

She gave him a moment to collect himself, which he did remarkably quickly. "Both my father and mother were Shinobi, but after she'd married father mother had settled down to raise Sasuke and I. When the Nine Tailed Fox commenced its attack, both of them were out of the residence, so it fell to me to look after him. Mother eventually did return home while the attack was taking place, but father did not. Since he was the head of both the Uchiha Clan and the Leaf Village Military Police Force, he was naturally helping to protect village during the crisis. The beast wrought immense destruction, but it was eventually sealed away by the Fourth Hokage at the cost of his life. However, the victory was hollow for more than just the Fourth Hokage and the others who died in the attack. I didn't realize it at the time, but the events of that night were where it all began to fall apart."

"What do you mean?" asked Yoruichi.

"I learned later on that my father had wanted to take the Uchiha who were cable of combat to the front lines to confront the beast directly," Itachi replied, "However, they had been ordered to focus on strengthening the village's defenses instead."

Yoruichi was confused. "But your clan's Sharingan would've been a powerful asset in defeating the Nine Tails. Holding the entire clan back to shore up the defenses doesn't make any sense."

Itachi nodded. "You're quite right. In fact, it was _because_ of the Sharingan's power that the Uchiha were held back."

Yoruichi shook her head. "I've got to be missing something here, because right now I'm completely lost."

"Remember the final fight between Hashirama and Madara I told you about?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi wasn't sure where this was going, but suspected she'd find out shortly. "The one that took place after Hashirama was selected to be the First Hokage, right? What's that got to do with this?"

"Apparently, Madara had controlled the Nine Tails during his clash with Hashirama," Itachi answered, a dark look in his eyes, "The power of the Sharingan had enabled him to turn this fearsome beast into a weapon that nearly allowed him to overpower the First Hokage. Frankly, it's nothing short of a miracle that Hashirama was able to triumph in that encounter."

Yoruichi's eyes widened slightly as a piece of the puzzle slid into face. "The people who governed the village were afraid that your father and the rest of the Uchiha were _behind_ the attack, weren't they? If Madara had been capable of controlling the Nine Tails in the past, another Uchiha could potentially do the same. They could make the beast back down… or incite it to inflict even greater devastation."

"Exactly," said Itachi, with more than a hint of bitterness in his voice, "There were those in positions of power who believed that the Uchiha were indeed responsible for the attack. They had no proof, and members of the clan were deeply resentful of their suspicions. My father must've been indignant at such a notion, but knowing him, he did his duty that night and followed orders. The resentment and suspicion of that fateful evening would not die down just because the Nine Tailed Fox was sealed and the village saved. They lingered and became a festering infection on the wounds the beast had inflicted… an infection that should've been recognized and treated immediately. Instead it was allowed to grow, and it would eventually lead to disaster."

"If the village suspected the Uchiha of taking part in the attack, did they take retaliatory measures after the dust settled?" asked Yoruichi.

"In a way," Itachi replied, "Since they had no proof, they couldn't act openly, and the clan leaders could never prove that any one measure was meant as an attack against them. Still, there _were_ ways in which portions of the village leadership manifested the mistrust on their end. It started with the reconstruction of the village; the Nine Tails had levelled entire sections during its rampage, and the widespread rebuilding proved to be an ideal cover for those who suspected the Uchiha of having a hand to play in the devastation."

Yoruichi gave a slight tilt of her head in puzzlement. "How so?"

"Many homes had been destroyed, and in the aftermath, there was a great deal of reorganization put into the residential areas during reconstruction," Itachi answered, "Plenty of Uchiha had lost their homes as well, so the village had a special compound constructed for the entire clan. Officially, it was done so in order to ease the reconstruction by consolidating space… but it also made it much easier to keep tabs on the Uchiha by concentrating the clan in one area. The compound was towards the outskirts of the village, which meant that the Uchiha became more isolated from government affairs. The clan still retained control over the Military Police Force, but the first of a series of budget cuts was enacted almost immediately after the attack. While the public reason the rulers gave was that reconstruction was a top priority and thus funding had to be reallocated, many in the Uchiha Clan saw it as an attack on their prestige."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed as she considered everything. "Were the Uchiha just being paranoid, or were the perceived slights actually deliberate?"

Itachi sighed. "I believe both parties share blame here. While consolidating space and easing reconstruction was important in the aftermath of the attack, it wasn't necessary for the Uchiha Clan's new compound to be placed in such a location that would symbolize its growing isolation from village politics. In that light, it's clear that the compound _was_ meant as a means of concentration and surveillance. With regards to the initial cuts to the budget of the Military Police Force, I can understand the need to shift funds to reconstruction. At the same time, though, it's entirely possible that subsequent cuts _were_ intended to erode the power of the Uchiha Clan. The clan had legitimate grievances on these fronts, but by embracing resentment and suspicion they only further contributed to the growing animosity between the Uchiha and the heart of the village. Every sacrifice the clan was asked to make for the sake of the greater whole was only seen as deepening the affront to the pride of the Uchiha. The clan began to internalize the symbolic isolation, and this would only grow worse as the years went by."

"You said your father was the head of the clan, right?" asked Yoruichi, "How did he feel about all of this?"

"At first, I think he simply wanted to carry on with his duties and hope that everything would blow over," Itachi replied, "He wasn't just a clan head or leader of the Military Police Force, after all; he was a father with two young sons. In the early years, I doubt he wanted Sasuke and I exposed to any of the broader clan resentments with the village. Still, it always lingered beneath the surface, and it wasn't hard for me to pick up on it."

Yoruichi smiled. "I bet you were a pretty observant kid."

Itachi nodded. "I was. Even at an early age, I was able to detect things that my father likely would've preferred to keep hidden. I noticed when he went to secret meetings with other members of the clan, just as I noticed that his stress grew as the years went on and the number of meetings increased. The tensions between the clan and the village refused to subside, no matter how much he might've wished otherwise."

Yoruichi scratched her chin with her finger. "What about the village leadership? You mentioned that the Fourth Hokage died during the Nine Tailed Fox's attack. Who replaced him? Did they have a role in the escalating tensions?"

"Rather than name a Fifth Hokage, the Third Hokage was brought out of retirement instead," Itachi answered, "Hiruzen Sarutobi, despite his advancing years, remained a powerful Shinobi, so it's understandable why they asked him to resume a leadership role rather than look for a new candidate; at the time of his appointment, he was a much-needed stabilizing influence. Believe it or not, he was also the man that trained Jiraiya."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Really? What was he like?"

Itachi hesitated for a moment before replying. "He was popular with the village. It wasn't just his skills that won him renown, but his dedication to peace and justice. He wanted to make sure that the village was safe, and was cautious and deliberate in both domestic and foreign policy. Violence was a last resort to him; if he could solve a problem with words rather than combat, he would make every effort to do so. The people of the village loved him for it, and in the aftermath of the Nine Tailed Fox's attack believed that he was the best candidate to help ensure a period of peaceful reconstruction.'

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "You say the _people_ liked him, but what about _you?_ "

"My thoughts on him are… mixed," he said cautiously, "Later experience in particular left me with a somewhat bitter taste. He was well-meaning, but also indecisive. That proved costly. He wanted to facilitate reconciliation between the village leadership and the Uchiha Clan, but even if he was the head of the village his power wasn't undisputed; the Hokages have traditionally governed with a council of advisors, and consensus on that council was hardly guaranteed."

"Let me guess," said Yoruichi, "Other members of the council were less inclined towards diplomacy than the Third Hokage. They saw the Uchiha as a threat. Am I on the right track?"

"Very much so," Itachi answered, "The strongest opponent of reconciliation came in the form of Danzō Shimura. He had ascended from the ranks of active duty Shinobi to become the lead figure in the village's clandestine operations. Danzō even created a subset of the Anbu Black Ops that was called 'Root'. Officially it was a subdivision devoted to the training of particularly promising individuals, but in practice it basically operated as Danzō's private Shinobi force. Assassination, infiltration, sabotage; they did all that and more. He commanded it in the manner that _he_ thought was best for the village… without consulting the Hokage or other members of the village council."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "I'm sure _that_ never blew up in anyone's face."

Itachi nodded. "Danzō was an extremist and hardliner who saw himself as willing to take on the dirty work that the Third Hokage couldn't bring himself to do. Perhaps he truly believed he was doing what was necessary for the sake of the village, but in doing so he undermined the authority of the Third Hokage in matters of both domestic and foreign policy. It would be no different when it came to resolving the tensions between the village and the Uchiha Clan."

Yoruichi shook her head, unable to suppress a sorrowful sigh as she looked at Itachi. "And all the while, you were growing up amidst these simmering tensions. That can't have been easy for you."

"Had I been a normal child, most of it likely would've gone over my head," said Itachi, "However, I learned very early on what the world was really like… far earlier than I should've, in hindsight."

She couldn't fail to notice the haunted look in his eyes. "What happened?"

It took a moment before Itachi could respond. "In the closing days of the Third Shinobi World War, my father and the Uchiha Clan took an active role in helping the village on the battlefield. One day, my father took me to the frontlines. I was four years old at the time."

Yoruichi's eyes widened in horror. " _What?_ He took you to a goddamn _warzone_ at _that_ age? _What the hell was wrong with him?_ "

It took quite a lot to make her genuinely angry, and it was a very good thing that Itachi's father wasn't with them at the moment; it would've required every last bit of restraint on Yoruichi's part to keep from going Bankai on his ass and unleashing a beatdown she normally reserved for Menos Grande. The thought of a young Itachi in such an environment inspired an almost searing fury within her, and she had to work to suppress her spirit energy lest it suddenly spike and overwhelm her companion.

Much to her surprise, she saw Itachi give her a small smile. "I remember that my mother had similar sentiments at the time, even if she ultimately relented. I think she would've liked you, Yoruichi."

Yoruichi took a deep breath, dialing back her anger; it would hardly help Itachi in a situation like this. "If she was against what your father had planned, then I'd definitely have her back at least. Seriously, what was your father thinking? I don't care how gifted you are now; at that age, you had no business being anywhere near a battlefield!"

Itachi nodded. "I won't dispute that. I do understand what was going through my father's mind at the time, though. Even at that young age, it had already been decided that I would become a Shinobi. My father wanted me to understand what that really meant, so he took me to the frontline. I didn't participate in the fighting itself; I was there only to observe the aftermath."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "I remember it as if it were yesterday. The pouring rain, pools of blood, cries of the wounded and the dying… and the corpses strewn everywhere. Shinobi from the Leaf Village, from hostile lands… death did not discriminate. This was the world of Shinobi; a world of conflict, struggle, and ultimately death. That was the point my father wanted to get across, and in that he succeeded. However… I took another lesson to heart that day too, one that my father didn't realize until it was far too late."

"What kind of lesson?" she asked.

"That it wasn't worth it," he replied, "The differences that had led to the conflict and their deaths… it was a complete waste. No one becomes a Shinobi because they want to die; they all have their own hopes and dreams. Yet that day, their hopes and dreams were destroyed by the cruelty of the world that Shinobi had built. Lying there on the battlefield, dead or dying, their hopes and dreams meant nothing. Their lives were claimed not just by the hell that was the Third Shinobi World War, but by the hell that was the Shinobi World as a whole… and on that day, I became determined to _challenge_ that hell. My father, the Uchiha Clan, the Shinobi of the Leaf Village or the other Shinobi villages of the world might've accepted such carnage as simply the way things had to be, but I did not. The world had to change… and I wanted to be the one that made that happen. The world did not deserve to be torn apart by warring Shinobi. What was needed was a true and lasting peace… one that I decided to devote myself to bringing about."

Despite the somber nature of what he was describing, Yoruichi couldn't help but smile. "So, when most children would be dreaming about going on grand adventures, your vision was to create a better world… you were one hell of a kid, Itachi."

Itachi shook his head. "I was naïve, even with that harsh exposure."

"You were only _four years old_ ," Yoruichi firmly countered, "I bet any other kid put into that situation would've been rendered catatonic in horror. You saw the ugliness of the world in a way that no child should ever have to, and you wanted to change it. What you faced that day was mankind at its worst, but you found the strength to face that harsh reality and strive for something _better_. That's a level of bravery that plenty of adults fail to measure up to."

"I'm afraid you're giving me too much credit," said Itachi, "What I saw that day… well, it's fortunate that the heavy rain was enough to hide my tears."

"Again, you were _four_ ," Yoruichi argued, "I'd be much more concerned if you _didn't_ cry under those circumstances."

There was a moment of silence before Itachi spoke again. "I suppose you're right. Regardless, that day's been burnt into my memory ever since, and it helped guide my actions going forward. I wasn't due to start my official education at the Shinobi Academy for another two years, but I trained every day regardless. I had some help, too; I'd met Shisui prior to the Nine Tailed Fox's attack, and I spent time practicing with him. I guess you could say that I was determined to hit the ground running."

Once again, Yoruichi found herself taken aback by the young man. "Hold on, you mean you started at this Academy when you were only six years old? Is that normal for your village?"

"Yes, although I should offer some context," Itachi replied, "The Shinobi Academy is not just for combat instruction. It's more accurate to think of it as an academic institution that frames its lessons in a Shinobi context. There's a core curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, and other fundamentals that you'd find in any basic educational facility. However, these are all geared towards giving us a solid foundation for once we actually start our Shinobi training. Still, since I had already begun practicing before entering the Academy, I had a leg up on my fellow students when it came to actually applying that knowledge."

Yoruichi sighed. "At least tell me that training for students is properly supervised. A bunch of kids running around with kunai and shuriken strikes me as a disaster waiting to happen."

"Of course," said Itachi, "The Academy instructors hammer it into students early on that ninja tools and weapons are not toys. There's a nurse's office complete with medical Shinobi on hand in the event of accidents, and the teachers are all veteran Shinobi usually capable of spotting potential accidents before they happen. Academy students are considered a vital resource for the future of the village, so there's plenty of incentive for those running the institution to make sure that it's as safe an environment as possible."

Yoruichi smiled. "In that case, I guess I can ease up a bit on your village's education practices. If you'd been training prior to enrollment, then I bet you really wowed your teachers on your first day of class. I know your Shin'ō Academy instructors certainly were impressed when you made your debut!"

Itachi's answer was couched in what Yoruichi had no doubt was a considerable understatement. "I suppose I did make an impression. The teachers' initial responses were favorable, although I believe I rubbed at least a few students the wrong way."

Yoruichi shrugged. "That's hardly a surprise. They were probably jealous of what you were capable of."

Itachi looked down for a moment. "Actually… there was a bit more to it than that."

Yoruichi frowned. "Don't tell me you were bullied. You seem like the type who could handle themselves in a situation like that, even at a young age."

"Bullying wasn't the issue in and of itself," said Itachi, "I was more than capable of taking care of myself in such a scenario, as you suggest. There were a few older students who found that out the hard way. It didn't take long to scare off anyone who might opt for physical threats or intimidation to get their way. However, the suspicion that elements of the village leadership had for the Uchiha Clan had begun filtering down through the population ever since the attack by the Nine Tailed Fox. There had been plenty of time for rumors and whispers of Uchiha plotting to find their way to the ears of children who would be attending the Academy. The students didn't have the full picture, of course, but the impressions they got from their parents were enough for plenty of them to form less than savory opinions regarding my family."

Yoruichi winced. "That can't have been fun to go through."

Itachi shrugged. "I managed well enough. I actually had some help. I hadn't asked for it and didn't need it… but it was nice to have, just the same."

Yoruichi smiled. "What form did this 'help' take?"

There was a noticeable pause, and from the way Itachi turned his gaze slightly downwards he looked almost adorably awkward and shy. "It… was a girl."

Yoruichi grinned; this was too good to pass up. "Really? Care to tell me about her?"

"Her name was Izumi," Itachi replied, "Izumi Uchiha. She was in the class next door to mine. During a confrontation between myself and some other students, she stepped in… and activated her Sharingan."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "So, she was a member of your clan and already had the Sharingan despite only being an Academy student? Does it really manifest that early?"

Itachi nodded. "It can, if the Uchiha in question experiences a sufficiently powerful emotion. In Izumi's case, it was the death of her father; he perished during the attack by the Nine Tailed Fox. However, due to her youth and inexperience she couldn't call upon it without consequence; the subsequent chakra expenditure proved too much, and she actually passed out shortly after that confrontation. I took her to the nurse's office… and remained by her side until she regained consciousness."

The mental image of a young Itachi staying by a girl's bedside waiting for her to recover was absolutely adorable. "That's sweet of you. I bet she really appreciated that."

"I suppose so," said Itachi, "We became friends, and often wound up walking home together after school. This was out of convenience; we both resided in the Uchiha Clan compound, after all. Still… I came to enjoy her company."

"And I bet she enjoyed yours," said Yoruichi knowingly, "What girl wouldn't, after all?"

The briefest hint of a blush flashed across his face, but Itachi didn't let it faze him. "There were plenty of girls at the Academy who seemed to like watching me. Izumi was the only one that went past that, though. Part of it was likely because we shared the same clan, but that wasn't all there was to it. She'd lost her father, but she was still a kind girl, and she believed in doing what she thought was right. She was… special."

The past tense there was all too clear; Yoruichi doubted this tale of budding young love had a happy ending. "What happened to her?"

There was just the briefest pause before Itachi spoke again. "If it's all right with you, I'll come back to that later. Her fate… well, it's tied to what lies ahead."

Yoruichi nodded; she was all for letting Itachi go at his own pace. "Fair enough."

"Thank you," he replied, "Anyway, I didn't spend long at the Academy. Most village children enter when they're six and graduate when they're twelve, but my studies went at a much more rapid pace. In fact, I actually graduated when I was seven years old."

Yoruichi whistled. "Damn. I knew you were talented, but that's really something else! You must've turned quite a few heads."

"I did," said Itachi, "although not all of them were for the right reasons. Most teachers were suitably impressed with my abilities, but a few had complaints. They felt it was premature to let me graduate so early, even though I had decisively proven my mastery over the Academy curriculum. I realized that those arguing against my early graduation had something in common; they were all from families whose lineages ultimately connected them to the Senju Clan."

Yoruichi leaned forward and clasped her hands together. "So, it was clan rivalries driving their objections rather than less subjective concerns?"

"I never got definitive proof," Itachi cautioned, "but… well, that was the impression I gained, yes. I wasn't going to let it stop me from carrying out my new duties, though."

"Look, don't take this the wrong way," said Yoruichi, "I'm sure you were the most badass seven-year-old in the world, but you were still a kid. They can't have had you doing anything too dangerous right out of the gate, right?"

"You're not wrong," Itachi admitted, "Graduates fresh out of the Academy are known as Genin. It's basically the lowest Shinobi rank excluding that of a student, not all that different from an unseated Soul Reaper. Their can be a great level of variance when it comes to the skill and strength of individual Genin, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still low on the command hierarchy. Genin with greater experience can get dangerous assignments, but for the most part, especially when it comes to Genin that just came from Academy, they're typically assigned low-risk missions."

"What qualifies as 'low-risk' for Shinobi?" asked Yoruichi.

"Mostly manual labor and errands," Itachi answered, "Finding lost pets, weeding a garden, acting as couriers, moving supplies… basic maintenance and public service, really."

Yoruichi couldn't help but giggle. "Some of those sound more like chores, really. Don't tell me the Academy's star student was reduced to being a household errand boy!"

"It didn't last for very long," said Itachi, "With my abilities, the village couldn't keep me on garden variety Genin missions forever, even with my age taken into consideration. Just a year after my graduation, my skills had already developed to the point that other Shinobi considered me to be at a Chūnin's level of strength. However, I was still considered too young to actually take the Chūnin Examinations, so I remained with Team 2 for the time being."

"Who else was on your team?" asked Yoruichi.

"The typical Shinobi team for new Academy graduates is comprised of three Genin and a Jōnin," Itachi replied, "This is so the Genin can gain valuable experience while under a veteran Shinobi's guidance and protection. Since I had graduated early, both of my fellow Genin were five years older than me. One was a boy named Tenma Izumo, and the other was a girl named Shinko Inari. Oddly enough, Tenma was one of the boys that Izumi had scared off with her Sharingan when I had first entered the Academy. As our supervising Jōnin, that was Yuki Minazuki. He… was not the best choice for that role."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that? Was he incompetent?"

Itachi shook his head. "He had the necessary skills to lead Genin. With another team, he likely would've been much more suitable for the role of supervisor. The problem was me. It didn't take me long to notice a key flaw with him; he had a jealous streak, and in this case, it was directed at me because of how rapidly my abilities had advanced. He didn't appreciate the idea of being outdone by a Genin. In fact, I learned that he'd sent several Genin back to the Academy in the past because he'd feared being shown up by them. However, my skills had evolved to the point where he couldn't offer a plausible explanation for repeating such a feat. Instead, he settled for delaying my entry to the Chūnin Exams. As a result, I was with Team 2 for about three years."

Yoruichi sighed. "It had to have been frustrating being stuck under a guy like that. I've met my share of Soul Reapers who share that kind of pettiness. All they do is weaken the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a whole just to bolster their fragile egos."

Itachi nodded. "Any sufficiently large organization will inevitably have some individuals like him in its ranks. I wasn't about to let the resentments of my team leader stop me from further honing my skills. When I wasn't on missions with Team 2, I trained in private. Occasionally, I'd have the chance to practice with Shisui when he wasn't on missions of his own. There were also… _other_ matters that I was being drawn into."

Yoruichi could tell that emphasis on the word 'other' did not bode well. "What was going on?"

"The clan's resentments hadn't been put on hold just because I'd entered and graduated from the Academy," Itachi reminded her, "They certainly didn't lie idle during my time as a Genin. Once I officially became a Shinobi, my father began including me in the regular clan meetings. Most Shinobi clans have these get-togethers, and they're supposed to be peaceful family gatherings meant to make sure that a clan's on the right path. The ones that the Uchiha Clan had been having, though… well, they had much darker undertones."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "The fact that they waited until you were officially a Shinobi before actually including you is rather ominous."

"Believe me, that fact did not escape my notice," said Itachi, "I quickly learned that my apprehension was well-founded. The clan meetings were dominated by the tensions that had been building between the village and the Uchiha ever since the Nine Tailed Fox's attack. Many were already convinced that the village was out to get them and had scapegoated the Uchiha for the attack. There was also the widespread belief that our new clan compound was meant as a means to contain us and make us easier to watch, so our meetings were held in a secret chamber beneath the Nakano Shrine, a temple which was believed to be where the Uchiha Clan had originated from."

"Secret meeting beneath a temple, eh?" said Yoruichi, "Yeah, that's _totally_ not suspicious or anything."

Itachi nodded. "I suppose the venue was an embodiment of what the clan was becoming; dark, bitter, obsessed with the memory of past glory… and hateful towards their perceived enemy. In the shadows of that dimly-lit chamber, the hate of the clan festered and grew. Originally, there was just talk of seeking redress for our grievances, but as time went by voices began advocating for more… _direct_ action."

Yoruichi grimaced. "What kind of shit were they looking to stir up?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again the regret and sorrow within was impossible to miss. "Ultimately… they began planning a coup."

Yoruichi took a deep breath, allowing the full weight of what he'd just said to sink in. "A coup… were things really _that_ bad?"

Itachi shook his head. "It was a response completely out of proportion to the grievances the clan had. However, the Uchiha have a tendency towards overreaction… particularly when it comes to grudges."

"Is this something that's prevalent throughout the clan, or just powerful members of it?" asked Yoruichi.

Itachi sighed. "It's… complicated."

"This whole conversation's complicated," Yoruichi pointed out, "No reason for it to get simple now."

Itachi gave a rueful chuckle. "True enough. Anyway, with regards to my clan… we're rather contradictory in our nature. On the surface we might try to maintain a sort of aloofness, or at least make an effort to conceal our true feelings, but in fact we're actually capable of great love and friendship, to a deeper extent than most people realize. However, this deep affection often becomes a double-edged sword to the Uchiha. When the object of that affection is lost, those once-warm feelings become twisted into an extreme hatred. It drives members of the Uchiha Clan to undertake actions that would've been impossible to contemplate before; anything and everything becomes permissible, consequences of those actions be damned. In time, this trait became known as the Curse of Hatred."

Yoruichi was skeptical, to put it mildly. "So, your clan began plotting a coup because of a curse? Sorry, but that sounds a bit like a cop-out."

She was surprised to see Itachi actually smile at her words. "An interesting take on it… and perhaps not an inaccurate one. The truth is, the Uchiha tend to be more susceptible to powerful emotions in large part because they're required to unlock the Sharingan, not to mention fuel its evolution. These emotions can feel overwhelming to the particular Uchiha Clan member in question, and they can take extreme action in order to satisfy these feelings. However, sometimes it's felt like that's really just an excuse that the clan has used to justify the lengths it will go to in order to safeguard its power and prestige, or as a means to deflect taking responsibility for actions driven by the extreme self-interest of individual members. You could consider the 'Curse' to be an embodiment of the Uchiha's glorification of the self or the clan at the cost of the greater whole. Still, cop-out or not, there always has been an undercurrent of darkness present in the Uchiha Clan. Whether or not these powerful emotions and ambitions are the product of a literal curse is something we could spend plenty of time debating, but they were certainly a metaphorical curse for the clan in the long-run."

Yoruichi nodded. "The coup plot being an example of that, right?"

"Yes," Itachi replied, "Members of the Uchiha Clan had once been fully on board with founding the Leaf Village and selecting Hashirama Senju as the First Hokage, to the point of isolating Madara, their leader and most powerful combatant. There might've been strains on the clan's relationship with the village at times, but overall the peace had still held; the Uchiha still for the most part believed in the village and wanted it to succeed. The attack by the Nine Tailed Fox and the subsequent isolation of the clan changed that, though. Their loyalty to the village had been called into question, and faced with a perceived attack against their pride and strength, fondness transformed into bitterness. Old grudges were brought to the surface and joined by new ones. The Curse of Hatred fount fertile ground in that environment, and its proliferation was like that of a highly aggressive and tenacious weed overgrowing a once-vibrant and peaceful garden."

"That's why they invited you to the clan meetings, then?" asked Yoruichi, "They wanted you in on the coup?"

"Not just me," said Itachi, "Any Uchiha that was a full-fledged Shinobi was included, so Shisui was in attendance as well. Once she graduated, Izumi was brought in as well."

Yoruichi sighed. "The three of you would've been so young... too young for matters like that. I mean, I get that being a Shinobi means that you had to grow up quickly, but still…"

Itachi nodded. "I know. To be honest, the atmosphere in those meetings… it was terrifying. The air in that chamber felt almost smothering with all the simmering hatred and resentment. It was like a teapot that was being brought closer and closer to boiling over… and it got far worse as the years went by."

"How'd the three of you handle it?" asked Yoruichi, "That had to be rough, to put it mildly."

"None of us liked it, that's for sure," Itachi answered, "I think it was worse for Izumi. Shisui and I had a better grasp on the situation, but her… I could tell just from the look in her eyes how badly those meetings frightened her. She didn't share the bitter grudges of the adults in that meeting, and to be stuck in that chamber as they poured their hatred out for all of the clan to see… it was a toxic atmosphere, to say the least."

Yoruichi put her hand on his shoulder. "From what I'm hearing, it sounds like the three of you didn't share the hatred that was consuming your clan. Given just how young you were at the time, that's impressive. I mean, young minds are quite impressionable, after all. For you to resist that heavy atmosphere of resentment and suspicion at that age is no small feat."

"You're too generous," said Itachi, "The three of us might not have agreed with the path that the rest of the clan wanted to take, but we were a long way from being able to stop it, especially at that age."

"Maybe," Yoruichi admitted, "but you had time, right? Hastily planned and executed coups aren't the ones most likely to succeed, and given that your family was a Shinobi Clan I assume they put a lot of prep work into their revolt."

"That's true enough," Itachi replied, "The clan spent years plotting, making plans and adjusting them as circumstances dictated. As the head of the clan, I believe my father actually tried to delay those plans, or at least soften them. He took his duties very seriously, and it struck me that he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the course of action the rest of the clan wanted to pursue. The idea for the coup wasn't driven by him, and had he acted more forcefully in the beginning it's entirely possible that he could've quashed such an idea, or at least formed a power bloc within the clan that would've provided a counter balance to the more radical elements. He was more than just a powerful Shinobi; he was a respected leader. He had a chance to take a stand against those that were pushing for the coup… but he didn't take it. Perhaps he stalled and tried to lessen the inherent violence of such a plot, but that doesn't change the fact the ultimately went along with it."

The bitterness and disappointment in Itachi's voice was impossible to miss. "You really loved your father, didn't you? Seeing him let things deteriorate like that can't have been easy."

"It wasn't," said Itachi, almost mournfully, "Watching him go along with a scheme that I'm sure he knew was wrong for both the clan and the village… was difficult. My beliefs put me in opposition to him, and while I still respected him that didn't change the fact that a rift began to grow between us. It was subtle at first, but as the years went by… well, before it was over, I probably seemed almost like a stranger to him."

Yoruichi didn't know how to respond to that. She might've had her differences and disagreements with her parents, but they were nothing on the scale of what Itachi was talking about. She wanted to be able to give Itachi a sympathetic shoulder to lean on, but how was she supposed to be able to do that if she couldn't relate to what he had gone through? She feared that any words she might say now would come across as little more than empty platitudes.

 _I knew he was complicated_ , she thought, _I just didn't realize the full extent of that… and it sounds like his tale still has quite a way left to go, so whether or not I'll fully be able to comprehend the layers to him when it's over is very much up in the air right now._

"As you said, though, this all unfolded over a prolonged period of time," Itachi continued, "Meaning that I still had missions to carry out with Team 2 while the Uchiha Clan descended into darkness. It weighed heavily on my mind, but I learned to shelve my concerns while I was out in the field; a distracted Shinobi quickly becomes a dead one."

"But you were just a Genin at the time, right?" Yoruichi pointed out, "You told me that they get low-risk missions. I appreciate your dedication to duty, but given your level of talent you must've breezed through those tasks almost on instinct. You probably had plenty of time to mull over your clan's issues even while you were with your team."

"In theory, yes," said Itachi, "and in most of those early missions that was the case in practice as well. However… there was one that proved very much otherwise."

"Which one was that?" asked Yoruichi.

"It was about a year or so after I became a Genin," Itachi answered, "Due to our high performance, Team 2 was assigned to guard the Daimyō of the Land of Fire during his annual trip to visit village."

"Sounds like a real honor," said Yoruichi, "Since it was your skill that was bolstering Team 2's performance, that means they were recognizing your abilities."

Itachi nodded. "I suppose that's one way to look at it. However, you shouldn't give me too much credit. Team 2 was really more of a ceremonial honor guard for that mission; the Daimyō had his own professional bodyguards, the elite Twelve Guardian Shinobi, two of whom were with our immediate party while the others were spread across the surrounding area. There was also a four-person Anbu squad watching from concealment, ready to spring into action should trouble arise. In other words, Team 2 wasn't really expected to do all that much apart from spread out around the Daimyō, perhaps provide another set of eyes and ears. Any real fighting was meant to be handled by the others."

"I take it things didn't quite pan out that way," said Yoruichi, "Otherwise you probably wouldn't even be telling me about this mission."

"You're not wrong there," Itachi replied, "As we were travelling to the village, we came across a man in the middle of the road. At first glance, there was nothing too unusual about him… save for the mask he wore. It was a very strange creation; orange with wavy black lines, and a single eye-hole on the right. The way he moved didn't seem threatening initially, but there was something about him that put me on edge. I quickly found out that my instincts were right on the money."

Yoruichi felt a chill go down her spine. "What happened?"

"The man was a skilled genjutsu user," said Itachi, "Before they even knew what hit them, my team leader, the Daimyō, his aides and the two Guardian Shinobi were caught up in an illusion. I'd managed to sense it and avoid getting ensnared, as had Tenma; his specialty was genjutsu, so even though he was only a Genin he still understood what was happening and could counter it. However, what he did next was completely foolish; he immediately moved to attack the man rather than calmly assess the situation and our adversary. That mistake cost him his life. Before I could stop him, our enemy had already struck a fatal blow."

The thought of an eight-year-old Itachi watching one of his fellow Genin get struck down before him was almost heartbreaking. "Itachi… I'm sorry."

There were a few seconds of silence before Itachi continued. "In that moment… I froze. At first, I thought it was because I had been ensnared in another genjutsu, but it was something else. My instincts were screaming at me that I could not defeat the enemy before me. Every fiber of my being wanted to run."

"You were a kid who just saw one of his comrades killed in front of him," said Yoruichi softly, hoping to provide some measure of comfort, "The fear you felt at that moment was perfectly natural."

Itachi nodded. "I know. Still, I was a Shinobi, despite my youth. A Shinobi can't afford to freeze on the battlefield. You know as well as I do that hesitation can easily get you and your comrades killed."

"Of course," Yoruichi conceded, "but still, you shouldn't be ashamed of what you felt back then. Anyone your age in that situation would've felt the same thing, Shinobi or otherwise."

Itachi sighed. "Perhaps your right. Even so, despite the fear I felt, I managed to force myself to move. The attacker said he would let me live if I stayed back and watch, but I refused. Even at that age, I knew my duty, and I wasn't about to back down."

 _He was brave even back then_ , she thought with a sad smile, _Itachi… you shouldn't have had to go through that at such a young age, but you still rose to the occasion. You really are a remarkable young man._

"I was fully aware that I couldn't win," Itachi continued, "Still, I stood my ground, even briefly exchanged blows with the masked man. Before he could strike me down, though, he stopped mid-strike and suddenly fled; he'd sensed the approaching Anbu Black Ops Shinobi that had been shadowing our group. Before he vanished, though, I caught sight of something that shook me almost as badly as Tenma's death; behind that single hole in the man's mask was a crimson eye with three tomoe."

Yoruichi's eyes widened in shock. "This guy had the _Sharingan?_ "

"Yes," Itachi replied, "and he clearly knew how to use it. At the time, I had no idea who he was; there were no reports of any rogue Uchiha. I came up with a theory later on, but looking back I'm not sure if it was correct or not. Regardless, the fact remained that the would-be assassin of the Daimyō did appear to be an Uchiha. Word didn't get out, especially since I was the only one who saw the eye beneath that mask and live, but… well, the notion of a rogue Uchiha was a disturbing one, especially with the growing tension between the clan and the village."

Yoruichi nodded. "I bet. Any idea why he tried to kill the Daimyō?"

Itachi shook his head. "Sorry, but I never got enough evidence to pin down a concrete motive. Speculation's the best I could offer, and your guess would probably be as good as any one of mine under the circumstances."

Yoruichi smiled. "Well, at least you survived. You even kept to your mission and protected the Daimyō despite being outmatched. I'm sorry about your teammate, but it sounds like things could've gone much worse."

"They certainly could've," Itachi admitted, "As it turns out, there were a few positive repercussions from that encounter. For starters, the death of Tenma caused Shinko to quit being a Shinobi and return to civilian life, ultimately working in a tea shop."

Yoruichi was puzzled. "How is your other teammate ceasing to be a Shinobi a good thing?"

"She was exposed to the reality of being a Shinobi," said Itachi, "It was a reality that I understood before entering the Academy, but most Genin don't have that prior experience. Shinko was a kind girl; Shinobi life wasn't for her, and it was better for her to find out sooner rather than later. I wish it hadn't come at the expense of Tenma's life, but at least she was able to recognize what that encounter really meant, and she took the right lesson from it."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Yoruichi conceded, "I'm assuming there were more benefits from that encounter than just her early retirement though, right?"

Itachi nodded. "Seeing Tenma die right in front of me… proved to be a necessary catalyst. Given what I'd seen during the mission, my superiors decided that my report could be held off a few days, so I was sent home after the Daimyō arrived safely at the village. I couldn't get what I'd seen earlier out of my head, and that night my Sharingan awakened as a result. I wish it had done so without Tenma having to die, but I wasn't about to let it go to waste."

Yoruichi whistled. "I bet your Shinobi skills _really_ took off once you got those special eyes of yours."

"That's putting it mildly," Itachi replied, "It felt like a whole new world opened up for me after gaining the Sharingan. The enhanced perception alone was a boon, and when combined with all the abilities that I described to you earlier… well, it was a game-changer. My growth accelerated at such a pace that my team leader rapidly ran out of excuses to keep me as a Genin. He managed to stall for a little while longer, but by the time I was ten even he couldn't deny what was clear to everyone else; I was ready for the Chūnin Exams. In fact, my abilities had advanced to the point that I was allowed to take the tests by myself rather than with the rest of Team 2. It was easy enough to see this as a testament to my skills, but there was more to it than that."

"Let me guess," said Yoruichi, "There were forces at work behind the scenes. Anything to do with the fact that you're an Uchiha?"

"Yes," Itachi answered, "Since my team leader had put off recommending me for the Chūnin Exams for so long, it struck me as odd that suddenly he'd pull an about face and allow me to take them solo. Something was off, but it was only after I'd passed the tests that I pieced everything together. It turned out that I had gained a benefactor on the Leaf Village Council; Danzō Shimura."

Yoruichi couldn't resist a double-take. "Wait a sec, wasn't he the guy who you said was the Uchiha Clan's greatest opponent on the Council? Why would he back the prodigy of a clan that he so deeply distrusted?

"A good question," said Itachi, "and one that I should've started asking myself far sooner than I did. It wasn't until years later that I finally figured it out. Even when I was only ten years old, perhaps earlier, even… he saw what I could become if pushed in the right direction. His insight would be crucial to his ultimate plan… and the Uchiha Clan would pay dearly for not recognizing it sooner."

He paused for a few moments, clearly needing to organize his thoughts before continuing. Yoruichi could only wonder what was next, but if the haunted look in his eyes was any indication, she doubted it was anything good.

"Things… changed considerably after the Chūnin Exams," he continued, "My time with Team 2 was over, meaning the old squad leader could no longer hold me back. Every new mission I went on was a chance to unleash the full spectrum of my abilities. My proficiency with the Sharingan continued to grow as well. When I wasn't on missions, I was usually training. Sasuke had grown considerably, so I even spent some time training with him, although not usually teaching him directly; I simply let him observe my practice sessions."

A bittersweet smile then appeared on his face. " _Some_ time, but… not nearly enough. I should've given him so much more. He looked up to me… idolized me, even. More than anything else, I wanted to change the Shinobi World so that it would be a safer place for my younger brother. That desire drove me to redouble my efforts, but in doing so, I wound up becoming distant from the Uchiha Clan as a whole. The same went for my immediate family… and even Sasuke. I… I wish it had been otherwise."

Yoruichi could understand family troubles; with a Great Noble House like her own, there was always drama to go around in one form or another. What Itachi was describing was something different, though. It was much darker than anything she'd seen in her family, and from the way he was talking about it and how it clung to him like a shadow it was clear to her that it had ended _very_ badly. She still didn't have the key details on what was likely the catastrophic moment that it had all fallen apart, but Yoruichi could tell that Itachi was building up to that.

"My ascension to the rank of Chūnin was no small matter as far as the clan was concerned," said Itachi, "In better times, it would've been something the clan could point to as yet another symbol of their proud service to the Leaf Village. Given just how sour the clan's feelings had become, though, they saw my promotion as something they could use to further their own ends. The further I climbed, the greater access I could potentially have to village leaders and secrets. In short, they saw me as a tool, a weapon to be used against the village in service of restoring the clan to glory."

The tension in his figure told Yoruichi all she needed to know about how that made Itachi feel. "They had no idea, did they? They didn't understand just how opposed you were to what they wanted to do."

Itachi shook his head. "No… they did not. I sent them signals, but their growing bitterness towards the village and their inflated sense of pride in the clan blinded them. They thought since I was an Uchiha I was automatically on their side. None of them save Shisui had a clue as to my true feelings… and _he_ shared my sentiments. Ironic, really; we were the two rising stars of the Uchiha, yet both of us were firmly against the ambitions of the clan."

"I bet that came around to bite them in the ass," said Yoruichi.

It had been meant as a fun little quip, a way to bring some levity to a heavy conversation, but the dark look in Itachi's eyes told her that she'd seriously miscalculated. "It did… in the worst way possible."

He sighed. "It was around this time that talk within the clan had shifted, and they began making explicit preparations for the coup. Timetables, selecting key personnel and infrastructure to target, how to maintain order after seizing power… all those crucial details and more. They were still a few years away from putting the plan into action, but Shisui and I knew that the village was running out of time. During that same time period, the clan also began to debate my career trajectory. With my promotion to Chūnin, many wanted me to be officially assigned to the Military Police Force; they believed that such a move would improve the standing of the Uchiha within the village, especially given the accolades and prestige my performance in the exams had garnered. My father had other plans, though."

"What did he have in mind?" asked Yoruichi.

"He wanted me to join the Anbu Black Ops," Itachi replied, "This was initially… ill-received by the rest of the clan. Many believed that the Anbu had begun to encroach on the Military Police Force's jurisdiction when it came to maintaining public safety within the village, and it was an open secret that they were monitoring the Uchiha Clan compound. My father sought to turn the tables by making me the Uchiha's eyes and ears within the Anbu. If he had taken my concerns about the clan's trajectory more seriously, he might've realized that sending me to the Anbu was the worst possible move he could make."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed as a crucial piece fell into place. "You became a double agent. They thought you were their man inside the Anbu, but in reality, it was the other way around; you were the Anbu's man inside the Uchiha Clan."

Itachi nodded. "Yes… and the seeds for that move had been planted years ago. Ironically enough, it was my own father that had sown them. Remember what I told you about his decision to take me to that battlefield when I was a child?"

Yoruichi grimaced as she worked to tamp down a fresh wave of fury at Itachi's father. "Oh, yes… I won't be forgetting _that_ anytime soon."

"An interesting choice of words," said Itachi, " _I_ didn't forget either, and never will. My father significantly underestimated the consequences of his actions that day. That exposure to the horrors of war had informed much of my outlook on life since then, and I was determined to be a Shinobi that brought about peace rather than conflict. It was because of that view that I could see the consequences of a potential coup when the rest of the clan could not. The Uchiha believed that they would be restored to their former glory, but they were blinded by arrogance and resentment. All I had to do was look at the past to know where things would go. A coup would lead to civil war… and that would bring in outside intervention from other nations. In short, the Uchiha Clan was setting itself up to be the catalyst for another Shinobi World War. I refused to let the clan's bitterness and pride become the spark for another massive conflict."

Yoruichi smiled. "You were willing to look past the clan and to the good of not just the village, but the rest of the world. Itachi… you were _really_ one hell of a kid!"

Itachi shook his head. "Hardly. I could have all the high-minded ideals in the world, but that would mean nothing if I couldn't figure out how to actually stop the clan from continuing down this destructive path. I could wrack my brain for weeks on end and not come up with a solution. All the while, the clan would continue to flesh out its plans for the coup. I was eleven years old and racing against the clock… and I was losing."

"Going into the Anbu would've helped though, right?" asked Yoruichi, "I mean, you'd have access to village resources and could make your concerns known to the rulers. You could warn them about what was coming and help them prepare, even convince them to take steps to head things off."

"It wasn't quite that simple," Itachi countered, "A good portion of the Leaf Village Council was opposed to my entry to the Anbu simply on account of me being an Uchiha. I don't know the Third Hokage's thoughts, but I suspect my young age might've made him hesitant to sign off. Danzō was another matter, though; just like with the Chūnin Exams, I eventually found out that he was all for me joining the Anbu Black Ops… almost enthusiastic about it, actually. That should've set of some serious alarm bells, but I was so focused on the clan that I didn't put it all together until it was too late."

Yoruichi shook her head. "I think you're being a bit too hard on yourself. The mess you were in was one that no one your age should've been forced to deal with. From what you've told me so far, it sounds like you handled things remarkably well given the circumstances."

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again sorrow and shame were readily apparent. "Once you've heard the rest… well, you'll probably want to revise that sentiment."

Yoruichi didn't like the sound of that. The story was already dicey; just how much worse could things get?

 _ **That's a question you really should know better than to ask by now**_ , the spirit of her Zanpakutō chided her, _**You're the Captain of Squad Two; a big part of your job is planning for the worst-case scenario, remember? There are plenty of ways that this little tale can escalate, especially given what you've learned so far.**_

 _Good point._

"My entry into the Anbu wasn't set in stone," Itachi continued, "As a test, I was tasked with eliminating a senior Jōnin who was leaking information to another village. The Shinobi in question was quite skilled, so I was allowed to call in some assistance for the assignment. I chose Shisui, both for his skills and the fact that he was one of my few fellow Uchiha that shared my sentiments regarding what the clan was planning. It was tricky, but we managed to accomplish our mission. In the process, though, I learned something about Shisui; his Sharingan had evolved far beyond mine. In fact, it was no longer the regular version; it was the Mangekyou Sharingan."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Mangekyou Sharingan? Sorry, I'm afraid you lost me there."

Itachi bowed his head. "My apologies. The Mangekyou Sharingan is an advanced version of the Sharingan, one that's very rare in the Uchiha Clan. It manifests itself when the bearer of the Sharingan undergoes an intense emotional trauma, one much more severe than what caused the initial awakening of the Sharingan. In most cases, its appearance is triggered by the Uchiha in question witnessing the death of someone very close to them. The Mangekyou retains the same black and red coloration of the regular Sharingan, but with a twist; the three black tomoe merge together into an intricate pattern that typically resembles a pinwheel, with each Uchiha to unlock the Mangekyou getting a unique version."

Yoruichi nodded. "Sounds pretty to look at, but I'm guessing that it's more than simple ornamentation. So, what's this bad boy do?"

"Think of it as the Sharingan on steroids," Itachi answered, "It supercharges the basic Sharingan's abilities while also granting formidable new powers to the user. While there are three main powers that all wielders of the Mangekyou can use, each Uchiha in question also gain access to variations of these abilities that are unique to the specific user."

"All right, I think I'm following so far," said Yoruichi, "What are these three powers?"

"The first is Amaterasu, the pinnacle of all Shinobi Fire Style ninjutsu," Itachi replied, "These are the black flames of Hell, hotter than the sun itself, and capable of burning anything the user focuses on. They can last for seven days and seven nights, unable to be extinguished by anything other than the wielder's will. The second ability is Tsukuyomi, the most powerful form of genjutsu in existence. The illusions the wielder can conjure and ensnare their opponents in illusions more comprehensive and elaborate than any other in the world; every aspect of their visual perception can be manipulated to incredible effect. The last is known as Susanoo, a giant spectral warrior that requires the power of both eyes to be summoned. This is the strongest of the Mangekyou Sharingan's abilities in direct combat, capable of both protecting the wielder and utterly devastating entire armies when developed to its full potential."

Yoruichi's eyes widened. "Damn… a set of powers like that could give even a Captain a run for their money!"

Itachi nodded. "Those abilities are very formidable, but there are drawbacks to using them. They each require a substantial amount of chakra to use, to the point that repeated utilization in rapid succession will eventually cause the wielder's Sharingan to deactivate, and they will be unable to call upon it until they've been able to rest up and restore their energy. There is also a more insidious long-term cost; use of the Mangekyou over the years will eventually cause the Uchiha to lose their eyesight, and this deterioration in vision will only be accelerated the more frequently they use the Mangekyou's abilities. That's why it's best used as a weapon of last resort… although its great power makes it tempting for Uchiha to call upon it far more often that they should."

"No kidding," said Yoruichi, "So, Shisui had these crazy eyes, huh? How far along was he to going blind?"

"I never asked," Itachi admitted, "Based on my observations of him, though, I think he barely suffered any visual impairment, if at all. This wasn't surprising; he was only a few years older than me back then, and his Mangekyou was a recent acquisition. Besides, with his level of skill, he could be pressed considerably before he would have to call upon its power. When he did, though… well, it was impressive, to put it mildly. One ability in particular was… _exquisite._ "

"What was that?" asked Yoruichi.

"Kotoamatsukami," said Itachi, in a tone that struck Yoruichi as close to hushed awe, "An ability unique to Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan. Related to Tsukuyomi, it was essentially a form of extremely subtle mind-control. All Shisui needed was just the briefest instant to get someone in his field of vision, and he could enter their minds, influencing their very thoughts. What made it truly devious was that he could implant false experiences and convince his targets to take actions that they believed were entirely of their own free will. It was a masterwork of genjutsu, with the victims being entirely unaware of ever being ensnared in the first place."

Yoruichi shuddered. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds pretty damn scary. I mean, Shisui's a good guy and a great subordinate, so I can definitely think of worse people to have a power like that. Still… it's rather unnerving."

"I can understand that sentiment," Itachi replied, "A genjutsu like that can be easily abused. It's fortunate that Shisui was the one who had that ability. Of all the members of the Uchiha Clan, he's one of the few that could've been trusted to use such a power responsibly. He understood the ethical quandaries behind it and appreciated the moral dilemma an ability like that posed."

"You said he's regained the Sharingan," said Yoruichi, "Does that mean he's also regained Kotoamatsukami?"

Itachi shook his head. "Shisui has regained the Sharingan, but not the Mangekyou, so Kotoamatsukami is lost. If he acquires the Mangekyou again, then perhaps Kotoamatsukami will return as well. It's difficult to say for sure; I don't know if him being a soul now instead of a human living in the Shinobi World will affect the powers of his Mangekyou Sharingan should he regain it. Perhaps his unique abilities, Kotoamatsukami included, will return to him. It's also entirely possible that acquiring the Mangekyou Sharingan as a soul means that the user gains different abilities than what they had in life. This is all uncharted territory, really."

Yoruichi nodded. "I see. Well, either way, I can definitely understand how such a power would've been useful to him as a Shinobi. That would be an ability with a wide set of applications, both combat and espionage-related."

"That's putting it mildly," said Itachi, "As the clan made further preparations for the coup, Shisui came to believe that Kotoamatsukami could be used to stop them. His idea was to use it on my father and the main ringleaders of the coup to convince them to back down. It was a plan that he was initially hesitant to put into action; he wasn't exactly thrilled about subverting the free will of his fellow Uchiha. The further along things got, though, the more it started to seem like the best option for averting an uprising and civil war."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed as she considered it all. "Well, I can certainly see the merits of a plan like that. Still… how did you feel about it? I mean, this was your father that you guys were talking about here, after all. Even if the two of you didn't see eye-to-eye anymore and you wanted to stop the coup, you had to have had some doubts about placing him under a spell like that."

Itachi nodded. "It's true that I did have some reservations, but… well, the situation was becoming desperate. The more time that passed, the greater the bitterness and resentment that was already consuming the clan would become. The ones pressing for the coup would become more anxious and demand that the timetable be stepped up, or that they be more violent in their seizure of power. We were running out of time, and Kotoamatsukami began to look like our best option. Yes, we'd be overriding my father's free will, along with that of the most fervent backers of the coup, but we would be able to stop them with no bloodshed. With the way things were deteriorating, Kotoamatsukami appeared to be the only non-violent solution."

"What about the Third Hokage and the village council?" asked Yoruichi, "You were a double agent inside the clan, so your superiors in the Shinobi hierarchy would've been receiving reports from you. They would've been aware of what the situation was becoming. Didn't they try to come up with a plan to do something about it?"

"The council was split," Itachi replied, "The Third Hokage favored mediation, believing that the village and the Uchiha Clan could come to a negotiated settlement that would quell tensions and satisfy both parties. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Danzō, and he was hardly a believer in a diplomatic solution. He felt that firm and decisive action was the only way to resolve the crisis. The impasse meant that no major action could be taken… and all the while, the clan continued its plotting."

Yoruichi shook her head. "If the village leadership was paralyzed, then they'd only yield the initiative to the coup plotters. Something would've had to give, otherwise they'd lose everything. They had to realize that."

"Eventually, they did," said Itachi, "The council knew that Shisui was just as much against the clan's desire for a coup as I was, and they were also aware of what he wanted to achieve via Kotoamatsukami. The Third Hokage finally gave his blessing, but Danzō had become determined to sabotage that plan; he believed it was just a temporary measure and sought a more… _permanent_ solution."

The emphasis Itachi had put on 'permanent' sent a chill down Yoruichi's spine. She could sense the climax approaching, and as all the pieces began to come together the full picture was slowly dawning on her.

 _No… let him finish. Don't jump to conclusions. He's come this far; hear him out to the very end._

"As the clan made their plans, so did we," said Itachi, "Shisui had decided to ensnare my father during an upcoming meeting at the Nakano Shrine. He'd convince him to call off the coup and return to the negotiation table. Danzō somehow caught wind, and he reacted swiftly. He staged an ambush… and took Shisui's right eye."

Yoruichi's eyes widened. " _What?_ How did he pull _that_ off?"

"He knew what Shisui was capable of and planned accordingly," Itachi answered, "His trap wasn't perfect, though; I'm sure he meant to actually kill Shisui, not simply take his right eye. Shisui was able to escape, but he knew he didn't have much time. After all, now that Danzō had played his hand, he couldn't let Shisui live. So, Shisui sought me out. I was waiting for him in the woods near a ravine, the Naka River flowing below…"

His tone became softer, barely more than a whisper, as he continued. "He'd originally wanted to meet me there in order to finalize the plan to ensnare my father and get him to pull the rest of the clan back from staging the coup. We were on the verge of putting an end to it all right then and there. However, with only his left eye, he now lacked the power to pull it off. He came up with a contingency on the fly… one that I wish he hadn't."

"What happened?" asked Yoruichi, almost afraid to know the answer.

"The Sharingan is a valuable commodity," said Itachi, "A Mangekyou Sharingan is rarer still… and one with Kotoamatsukami is priceless. Shisui knew that Danzō would try to claim his left eye as well, and he was determined not to let that happen. At the same time, though, despite Danzō's betrayal Shisui still wanted to save the village from the Uchiha Clan's coup attempt. However, since he felt he no longer had the power to do that, he wanted to make sure that _I_ would be able to act in his place when the time came…"

For a moment, his voice caught in his throat. There was a slight tremor in his hands… no, his whole body. That was when Yoruichi came to a startling realization.

Itachi was on the verge of _tears_.

Not knowing what else to do, she reached out and put her had on his shoulder. "Hey… do you need a break? If you want a few minutes… I don't mind."

Itachi shook his head. "No… you need to hear the rest of it… sooner rather than later. Let's keep going."

Yoruichi could do little else but nod; if he was determined to press on, it wasn't her place to stop him. "All right. Still… if you want a breather, just tell me."

"I appreciate that," said Itachi.

He took a moment to clear his throat and take a deep breath before continuing. "There we were, an eleven-year-old and a fourteen-year-old with the fate of not just the village but the Shinobi World on our shoulders… and we had lost our only means to preserve the peace without violence. The Uchiha Clan and the village were racing down the path to full-blown civil war, with the coup plotters on one side and Hidden Leaf hardliners led by Danzō on the other. Shisui and I were caught in the middle… and he saw only one way forward. Standing right there in front of me… he ripped out his left eye and gave it to me."

Try as she might, Yoruichi could not keep her jaw from dropping. "He did _what?_ "

Itachi sighed. "I know it sounds crazy, but I swear it's the truth. Kotoamatsukami's full power could only be achieved with both eyes acting in concert, but even with a single eye the genjutsu was still formidable. Shisui had decided to entrust me with that eye, confident that I would find a use for it down the line and could keep it out of Danzō's reach. That wasn't enough, though; he knew that I would need greater power if I was to stop the clan and protect the village. I would need the Mangekyou Sharingan… and there was one surefire way he knew of that would let me unlock it. He stepped to the edge of the ravine… and I knew what he wanted me to do. I placed my hands on his back… and he said that he was counting on me to handle the rest. Those were his last words before he plunged into the Naka River below… where his life ended."

He then looked down in shame and sorrow, leaving Yoruichi to process what she'd just been told. What could she do? Itachi's guilt and remorse were clear as day, and she felt powerless to help him. In his eyes, he'd killed his best friend, although Yoruichi saw it as assisted suicide. She doubted that distinction would make Itachi feel any better about it, though.

 _When they met again on that joint operation we had with Squad Ten… I was so damn blind_ , she thought bitterly, _I had no idea what had happened between them in their previous lives. Yeah, I know it's not supposed to matter to us in the Soul Society, but that kind of trauma… of course that would transcend death. After the mission was over, when Itachi and the other students went back to the Academy… I should've given Shisui leave so he could spend some time with him._

From what she'd seen of Itachi and Shisui's interactions, it seemed clear enough that the latter didn't hold anything against the former regarding the manner of his death. Everything Itachi had told her indicated that Shisui had not only accepted his death but made the most of it, turning it to Itachi's benefit and trying to make sure that his friend would have a chance to succeed where he had failed. It was all too obvious to her just how torn up about Itachi remained, though…

…and she had a feeling that wasn't the only deep wound on his psyche.

 _His story's still not over. They say the night's darkest before the dawn, but…_

 _…it feels like we've yet to hit midnight in this tale of his._

The silence probably only lasted a few seconds, but it felt much longer. Yoruichi was honestly amazed that Itachi was still able to continue, and that he hadn't needed more time to catch his breath. His resilience was nothing short of remarkable, but she had a feeling that it had to be buckling under the strain.

"Given that Shisui was one of the clan's rising stars, word of his death naturally spread quickly," said Itachi, "Shisui had planned for this and instructed me to leave a suicide note. Thanks to the Sharingan, I could perfectly copy his handwriting, and since I knew Shisui so well it wasn't hard to make the words appropriate for him. To an outsider, the wording would've been vague, but to anyone familiar with the internal strife gripping the clan it was crystal clear; a plea from him to his fellow Uchiha to abandon the coup and reconcile with the village. At least, it was clear to _me_ , but… others didn't see it that way."

There was fresh tension in his frame, not from remorse and sorrow, but something new. It took Yoruichi a moment to realize what the source was.

 _Anger._

"A few members of the clan showed me the note," he continued, a bitter edge creeping into his voice, "They'd opened a murder investigation… and I was the prime suspect."

"Itachi…" she said softly.

What else _could_ she say? It was clear that the clan had suspected malice on Itachi's part, but there was so much more to it. However, given the circumstances, Yoruichi doubted that he would've been able to say anything regarding the truth of the matter without jeopardizing his position as the sole remaining Leaf Village spy within the Uchiha Clan. Being suspected of his best friend's murder without being able to explain what had really happened must've ripped him apart inside.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, taking another deep breath to calm himself before pressing on. "Recently, I had become more open in my opposition to the path the clan was taking. Those who were pushing for the coup didn't understand it, though. They simply thought that I considered myself to be above them all purely because of how powerful I'd become at such a young age. None of them could see past their own pride and suspicion or the collective arrogance of the clan. They couldn't take a step back to see the big picture, to realize that the road they were going down was one that could only end in war. By the same token, none of them could so much as comprehend the notion that Shisui was anything other than fully devoted to the clan. The idea that he might be opposed to the coup and had been about to take action to stop it completely eluded them. Likewise, the thought that he had manipulated the manner of his death in order to give me the power to act in his stead never occurred to them. The words in the suicide note that I'd hoped would at least reach some of them fell on deaf ears. To have them so badly misread the situation, to be unable to look past their petty ambition and hatred was bad enough, but for them to do so while I was still privately mourning Shisui's death… it was too much."

He clenched his fists, and despite his best efforts to keep his voice level Yoruichi would've had to be blind and deaf to miss the strain. "I called them out. On their cowardice, their arrogance, their lust for power… and their complete inability to recognize what was staring them right in the face. The fact that the ones who had approached me and announced the investigation were also the primary advocates of the coup made it all the harder to hold myself back. I attacked them. I didn't inflict any serious injuries, but… well, I knew right then and there that none of them were a match for me. It was the first time I'd tested my skills against them, and even if it wasn't a serious fight, I found their abilities to be wanting. In that moment, I was tempted to strike for real… to cut the heart out of the coup in one fell swoop… and to show them just how badly they had underestimated me."

Itachi looked down at his hands, slowly unclenching the fists he'd made as he tried to reassert control over his emotions. "My father intervened… unknowingly saving their lives in the process. It provided a moment's respite, but still… I didn't have complete mastery over myself. Part of me still wanted to attack… and that wasn't helped when I saw him pull the conspirators back to there feet. Perhaps he didn't intend it this way, but I saw it as a declaration of solidarity. In my eyes, he was telling me that he was fully behind the coup plotters now. There they stood… those responsible for bringing the clan to the brink… those who wanted to push it over the edge… those who were so blinded by their resentment and suspicion of the village that they stood on the precipice of igniting a war that would drown the world in blood. They all had the Sharingan, but _I_ had the Mangekyou, and none of them knew it. None of them comprehended the peril they were in at that moment."

The implied threat was all too clear, but Yoruichi couldn't bring herself to ask if he'd acted on it. She could hardly bring herself to speak at all; she was absolutely riveted to her companion's tale, absorbing and analyzing it as quickly as he spoke.

 _It's not every day a young man comes along with a story like_ this _to tell…_

"I was on the precipice," said Itachi, "So close to stepping over the edge… and then I heard Sasuke cry out. I'd become so focused on the confrontation that I hadn't even noticed my little brother at the edge… and just how frightened he had become. In that moment, I pulled myself back… I couldn't bring myself to strike in front of him. In truth, I was horrified that he'd heard as much as he had. The hostility with the village, the preparations for the coup; I wanted to keep all of that away from him. He was still so young, had only just entered the Academy… I wanted to protect him from the darkness swirling around him. No matter what else happened, I refused to let Sasuke get dragged into the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village. Was it realistic to expect that I could keep him out of it forever? In hindsight, of course not."

 _Yet you still tried_ , thought Yoruichi with a sad smile, _Itachi… you really loved your little brother. Being the older sibling's never easy… I know that from experience._

She kept her mind from slipping towards her own family and bringing it up now with her companion; it was hardly the time or the place. Itachi's family and past were why the two of them were here today, not her own.

Itachi sighed. "If there was a moment where the coup plotters could've taken me, that was it. They certainly wanted to… in fact, they were itching to arrest me right then and there. My father forced them to back down. His stated reasoning was that since I was a member of the Anbu Black Ops the clan couldn't arrest me through the Military Police Force. He ordered me inside the compound immediately afterwards. I think it was finally starting to dawn on him that I wasn't exactly onboard with what the clan was planning, and he was hoping to bring me around to his side."

Yoruichi shook her head. "That ship sailed the moment he brought you to that battlefield when you were a kid. If he was half as smart as you, he would've recognized that."

"It wasn't a matter of intelligence, but of insight and worldview," Itachi replied, "My father was the head of the clan, so his thinking was always along the lines of trying to improve the lot of the Uchiha. While he may have ultimately allowed the coup plotters to dictate his path forward, he _did_ act somewhat as a force for caution. Without him, they probably would've put their plan into motion much sooner. They needed his backing to keep the rest of the clan on side, but at the same time he felt that he couldn't outright oppose them due to fearing a split in the clan."

"A split had already occurred, though," Yoruichi pointed out, "It just wasn't the one he had expected."

Itachi nodded. "True enough. As it turned out, I later learned that it was more than just the caution of my father and his desire to seize power with minimal bloodshed that restrained the coup plotters in their action, though. Shisui had actually been an integral part of their plan. In particular, they'd been counting on him to abduct the Third Hokage. Leaving aside his opposition to the coup itself, his death meant that those pushing for the coup now had to figure out another way to pull it off. That bought time for the village, and for me… if only it had been used more wisely."

She patiently waited a few seconds for him to organize his thoughts before he continued. "Shisui's death marked a turning point in the crisis. The bitterness and suspicion of the clan had become full blown hatred and paranoia, and these readily manifested themselves at the hidden meetings. To say the atmosphere there was heated would be a considerable understatement. I began making my opposition to the planned coup more open, and this naturally drew unfavorable attention my way. I had to be mindful of myself; my position as a spy would be rendered moot if I got myself kicked out of the clan meetings. Still, it was only a matter of time before my presence there would be unwanted and I'd be banned altogether. The only other Uchiha Shinobi in those meetings who sided with me was Izumi."

He paused for a moment, his expression one of subdued melancholy. "Izumi… she knew that the clan was beginning to hate me for my opposition, yet she believed in what I said. She wanted me to keep saying what I said in those meetings despite the fierce blowback my words received. She was terrified of what was happening and new that showing any sort of support for me would draw condemnation, but still… she was willing to accept their scorn for siding with me."

"Brave girl," said Yoruichi, studying Itachi carefully, "Standing up to bullies at school, then her own clan… to have that kind of courage at such a young age is really something special."

Itachi surprised her with a bittersweet smile. "Something special… I suppose that's as good a way as any to describe her. I think she would've liked you, Yoruichi."

Yoruichi smiled in return, hoping to provide at least some small measure of encouragement. "I bet the feeling would be mutual."

"I'd certainly hope so," said Itachi, "For all her bravery, though, she didn't know how to stop the clan other than rely on me. She was still a Genin and only had experience with typical Genin-level missions. The harsh world of espionage, infiltration and politics was foreign to her, and despite having the Sharingan she was still a long way away from being given assignments that would've provided her with experience in the sort of affairs that the Uchiha Clan and the village were entangled with. I couldn't bring her into my efforts to stop them… no, that's not quite right. I could've brought her into my confidence, but I was afraid. I didn't want her to get hurt, and after Shisui's passing I felt that I had to shoulder the burden of challenging the clan on my own. Looking back, that was a mistake."

"You were trying to protect someone dear to you," Yoruichi countered, "You recognized that she'd be out of her depth in the kind of cloak-and-dagger situation you were in and kept her out of it for her safety."

Itachi shook his head. "I might've acted with that intent, but I was a fool. She was in danger no matter what I did… the entire clan was. My activities in the Anbu Black Ops began to shift when I turned twelve. I was promoted to team leader, although the 'team' in question only existed on paper. In reality, it was just something devised to allow me greater freedom of movement. I was given a few Shinobi, but they didn't really answer to me. Their loyalty belonged to the man who had set up the 'team' in the first place; Danzō."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "The hardliner on the council… and the one who attacked Shisui."

"Exactly," Itachi replied, "Needless to say, I wasn't exactly happy with the arrangement. I was now operating under the man whose attack had led to Shisui's death. Danzō at the very least must've suspected that Shisui had told me what had happened before his death, although he didn't have any proof. He likely also believed there was the possibility that I had Shisui's remaining eye hidden away. I'm sure he knew the risks of bringing me into his operations; after all, Shisui's death was all the reason I'd need to turn against him. However, he'd been working towards this moment for years, and he wasn't about to let it slip through his fingers."

Yoruichi's eyes widened ever so slightly as she came to a realization. "Getting you into the Chūnin Exams, then the Anbu… that whole time, he was trying to turn you into a weapon he could use against the Uchiha Clan!"

Itachi nodded. "Precisely. It had taken patience and persistence, but after all those years he finally had me right where he wanted me. He'd been watching me since the Academy, and even back then had likely realized the potential benefit he'd reap if he could properly manipulate me. As much as I hate to admit it, he'd read the situation perfectly; the animosity I held against him was outweighed by my desire to preserve the peace, meaning I wasn't in a position to strike back at him. Things were rapidly coming to a head. The coup wasn't a matter of _if_ , only _when_ … and the 'when' was on the horizon."

"How much time was left?" asked Yoruichi.

"Not nearly enough," Itachi answered bitterly, "and what little there was passed all too quickly. Before I knew it, I was thirteen… and the coup was suddenly mere weeks away. Surveillance over the Uchiha Clan compound had increased, and despite our efforts I'm sure my father and the rest of the clan leadership could sense our watchful gaze. At the same time, tension on the village council had reached a boiling point. The Third Hokage still advocated for diplomacy, but he was only _now_ truly taking the matter seriously… and it was already too late. Battle lines had been drawn while Sarutobi dithered… and all the time Shisui's death had bought had been _wasted_."

Yoruichi's breath caught in her chest as she realized this was it. Everything Itachi had told her was in preparation for this exact moment; his tone was all she needed to know that they were about to cross the point of no return.

"The Third Hokage had already lost," Itachi continued, "The rest of the council had shifted towards Danzō's line of thinking, and he fully capitalized on it. He wanted to strike first, and he had the perfect weapon to do it; me."

"What did he want you to do?" asked Yoruichi nervously, her voice so soft it was barely more than a whisper.

Itachi looked away for a moment and took a deep breath. When he met Yoruichi's gaze again, the darkness in his eyes was impossible to miss.

"Danzō had seen the Uchiha Clan as a threat to the underlying stability of the village long before talks of a coup had begun," he said, "I think he believed that founding the village in cooperation with the Uchiha was a mistake. For him, the clan was an internal threat that had to be dealt with once and for all. That was always his wish; the impending coup simply gave him pretext. Danzō… wanted the Uchiha exterminated."

Given her dark complexion, it was a considerable feat for anyone or anything to make Yoruichi's face pale, yet she was sure that was exactly what she felt happening as Itachi's words sunk in. "He wanted you to _kill_ your own clan?"

"Yes," Itachi replied, his voice almost a hoarse whisper.

A poignant silence hung in the air between them. For her part, Yoruichi was caught completely off-guard. She'd figured that whatever was haunting Itachi was pretty severe, but she'd had no idea that it was _this_ bad.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally found herself capable of giving voice to her tangled thoughts. "Why… why _you?_ You were already spying on your family; that would've been hard enough to bear. How could he demand that you… _kill_ them?"

"I'm sure part of him appreciated the irony of pitting an Uchiha prodigy against the clan," Itachi answered, "but there was more to it than that. The Hidden Leaf Village was composed of many Shinobi clans, with the Senju and the Uchiha merely being the most prominent among them. If the village leadership implemented a purge of one clan because of a threat, real or perceived, other clans would become suspicious and resentful, fearing that they could be next in line. It could even inspire an uprising, replacing the threat of the Uchiha with a rebellion from multiple clans. However, if a clan was wiped out by one of its own, one that the village leadership could then paint as a disturbed individual, an isolated and deranged genius…"

If Yoruichi had been angry at Itachi's father for brining him to a battlefield at the tender age of four, then that paled in comparison to the sheer _rage_ she now felt burning in her chest. What Itachi was describing, what Danzō had set the young man up for… it was cruelty the likes of which she had _never_ seen before. If the Leaf Village hardliner had been standing before her right now, Yoruichi would've torn him apart limb from limb.

 _That son of a bitch_ , she silently fumed as she worked to keep her fury from spilling out into the open, _Danzō…_ _I swear, if you somehow find your way to the Soul Society instead of the deepest pits of Hell when you die, and our paths cross… death will be a_ mercy _compared to what I'll do to you!_

If Itachi detected any trace of her anger, he gave no sign of it. Even in the midst of delving into such harsh memories, his level of self-control was remarkable. Yes, cracks in his veneer had appeared as the conversation had continued, but overall, he'd demonstrated a tremendous amount of fortitude.

 _Fortitude that he paid a high price to achieve…_

She could do little more than listen raptly as he pressed onward. "In what felt like no time at all, I was delivering a report to the council; the clan was just ten days away from launching the coup. When the session was over, I met privately with Danzō. That was where he sprung his trap. He knew that he couldn't simply order me to attack the clan and expect me to blindly obey, so he issued an ultimatum. If the Uchiha Clan launched their coup and I sided with them, the entire clan would be exterminated. The fighting between the clan and the rest of the village would surely draw in other nations, and a new Shinobi World War would begin. The village would show no mercy; every last Uchiha would be killed… even children like my little brother, who had no knowledge of what the clan was planning. However…"

He had to stop and clear his throat, and once again Yoruichi saw a slight tremor pass through his body. Between that, the tension in his jawline, his slight shallowness of breath, the narrowing of his eyes in a silent war to keep his emotions in check, the signs were all too clear; he was nearing the breaking point. Part of her wanted to stop him, but the other half wanted him to keep going.

 _The choice is his alone. It's not my place to interfere._

Somehow managing to reassert control and steel himself, Itachi continued. "If I struck first… annihilated the clan on behalf of the village… I would be allowed to spare Sasuke. Murder the clan… the rest of my family… so that my little brother could live. Civil war and extermination, or a purge with just a single survivor… those were the options. I… I couldn't decide at that moment, so I left the meeting."

"What… did you do?" asked Yoruichi, unable to conceal her apprehension.

"I went to the Naka River," he said, "To the exact spot at the cliff where Shisui had plunged into the ravine. I tried to figure out if there was another solution. I wracked my brain for what felt like forever, but… I found no other way forward. I… I…"

The dam finally broke; the tears he'd been struggling so hard to hold back at last began to flow. They fell slowly, one at a time… each one ripping at Yoruichi's heart more painfully than the last.

A rueful smile appeared on his face even as the tears trickled down his face. "I did… exactly what I'm doing now. The last time I remembered crying before then was that battlefield my father had taken me to. I had the rain back then as cover, but… I didn't have it this time. There was no one around, but Shisui's presence seemed to permeate that place. He had been determined to find a way to protect both the village and the clan, and had passed on that hope to me. However… I had failed. I wasn't as strong as him, and the fork in the road before me only had two choices. Side with the clan and launch a coup that I knew would only end in ruin for all… or massacre the clan so I could save my little brother and the village."

He turned to face her, anguish, shame and sorrow filling his eyes as the tears kept falling. "Tell me… which way was I supposed to go? To the left, where nothing was right… or to the right, where nothing was left?"

His gaze was one of despair, lost and desperate for an answer that he had clearly not found even after fourteen years of soul-searching. Yoruichi couldn't give him one, at least not with words, but she couldn't just sit back and do nothing. She reached out and took the young man in her arms, pulling him close and allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder. There were no audible cries, nor did his body shake from sobs or anything of that nature; even in the midst of such emotional agony, he refused to completely relinquish control. However, there was still that gradual flow of tears, and Yoruichi felt them as the slowly trickled down Itachi's face before falling onto her neck and shoulder.

She couldn't say for sure how long they remained together like that. It was probably just for a few minutes, but it certainly felt longer. All the while, she desperately searched for something, _anything_ to say that could give him some form of comfort or reassurance, but words completely failed her.

 _ **That's a rarity**_ , the spirit of her Zanpakutō quipped, _**and this is… unusual, for you. Rather tender, if I do say so myself.**_

 _Save the commentary. This isn't the time._

 _ **Very well, then.**_

Eventually, Itachi pulled himself away, and Yoruichi relinquished her grip. To her relief, she saw that the flow of tears had stopped, and even if anguish and sorrow were still clear in his eyes, the very small smile that appeared on his face was enough to tell her that she'd at least done _some_ good for him.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Yoruichi nodded, surprised to actually feel herself _blushing_ ; where had _that_ come from? "Sure… felt like it was the least I could do. So… are you sure you want to continue? We can pick the rest of this up at another time if you want. Trust me; I'll understand completely."

Itachi shook his head, his voice regaining some of its firmness. "No… I want to see this through… here and now. You deserve that much."

"All right," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper.

He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply before opening them and pressing onward. "I don't remember how long I remained at that spot, but… it was long enough to reach a conclusion. Above all, my commitment was to two things; Sasuke's survival, and peace in the village. There was only one way that I could see to achieve both… and so I gave Danzō my answer. He wanted the Uchiha Clan destroyed… and I would consent to being the instrument of their demise, with the condition that my brother would be spared."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "How could you trust someone like Danzō to keep his word? He wanted the entire Uchiha Clan exterminated; what was to stop him from having Sasuke quietly killed after you did the bulk of the dirty work?"

"I wasn't going to just take him at his word," Itachi answered, "I had a plan to make him honor his agreement. It wasn't perfect, but it got the job done. I'll give you the details in a little bit; there are a few more matters to attend to in this tale first."

"Fair enough," said Yoruichi, "So… how were you going to take out the clan?"

"That was tricky, and not just because of the obvious moral lines that I was crossing by agreeing to slaughter my family," Itachi replied, "There were logistical problems to overcome as well. The Uchiha Clan compound that had been constructed in the aftermath of the attack by the Nine Tailed Fox was our home, but not every member of the clan was present at any one time. Since so many of our members were Shinobi, they obviously still had missions to attend to. The bulk of them were with the Military Police Force, and when they weren't on patrol or home they were typically at the headquarters. This had become more common as of late; since the Military Police Force was dominated by the Uchiha, the headquarters had become another center from which to covertly organize for the coming coup. Any Uchiha that had been out on foreign missions were recalled by the council, but that still left me with the problem of there being two major centers to target."

"And as good as you were, you couldn't be two places at once," Yoruichi observed, easily seeing his dilemma, "Attack the Military Police Force first, you risk word leaking out and the clan members at the compound. Strike the compound first, and you'd have the Military Police Force mobilize to counterattack. Either way, your true allegiance would be out in the open; the clan would either flee or every combat-capable member would concentrate their efforts on killing you."

Itachi nodded. "Precisely. I was skilled, but I still had doubts. My father in particular was a source of concern; he was an extremely adept Shinobi, and his mastery of the Sharingan was second to none. There's a very good reason he was known as 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku, after all. Even with the Mangekyou in my possession, I wasn't entirely sure if I could take him in a head-to-head fight, and other clan members would be sure to come to his aid."

"And you couldn't count on any official help from the village since Danzō wanted the purge to appear as purely a case of a rogue and mentally disturbed Uchiha," said Yoruichi grimly, "How'd you pull it off?"

"How to accomplish the mission was a question that I asked myself more times than I could count in those days leading up to the hour of judgment," Itachi admitted, "Had Shisui still been alive, it would've been a simple matter to launch a two-pronged assault, but obviously that was out the window. I could not rely on any of my fellow Anbu Black Ops colleagues lending a hand, either. I needed an attacker from outside the ranks of village Shinobi or the Uchiha Clan, a third party to the purge… and I found one where I least expected it."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Really? Who was it?"

"In the lead-up to the purge, the surveillance over the Uchiha Clan was greatly intensified," said Itachi, "In addition to being the village's spy within the clan, I also took part in the Anbu's monitoring operations. While watching the compound and the Nakano Shrine, I caught glimpses of what I realized was someone that was neither coup plotter nor Anbu, or indeed any Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village for that matter. Three days before the coup was scheduled to commence, I confronted this figure in the secret meeting chamber beneath the Nakano Shrine. They wore a mask; orange with wavy black lines… and a single eye-hole on the right side."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "The man that killed your former teammate right in front of you… the one that had the Sharingan in the eye you could see through that mask."

"One and the same," Itachi confirmed, "It had been nearly four years since our confrontation. In that time my mind had often gone back to that fight as I tried to piece together his identity from the scant few clues available in my memory. When I met him again beneath the Nakano Shrine… I suspected that it was none other than Madara Uchiha."

Yoruichi could not stop her eyes from widening in shock. "Wait a second, _Madara?_ The guy that fought Hashirama after he became the First Hokage? The one that Hashirama supposedly _killed?_ "

"Yes," Itachi replied, "The power I felt emanating from that one eye, and his attempt on the Daimyō's life all those years ago… in my mind, it could only be him. Madara's grudge against the Hidden Leaf Village for rejecting him during the selection of the First Hokage was well known, and despite the official story claiming he had been killed in his confrontation with Hashirama there was no known grave or any confirmation as to what had become of his body. This would've been a grievous lapse given just how powerful his Sharingan was; Hashirama would not have wanted Madara's legendary eyes to fall into the hands of rival Shinobi. Those factors had led me to question the official account, and when combined with my run-in with the masked man who had at least one Sharingan and had taken obviously hostile actions towards the Land of Fire and Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village… well, there were no other rogue Uchiha that I knew of. Madara was the only figure that fit the bill, and despite how old he would've been had he survived that long I had no doubt that he would've remained formidable even in advanced age. Besides, he had made it past all the Shinobi patrolling the Hidden Leaf Village and had gone straight for the hidden chamber beneath the Nakano Shrine; only the Uchiha knew of that room."

Yoruichi nodded. "Given what you had to go on at the time, I guess I can understand the conclusion you came to. Still, that mask's an obvious red flag. You couldn't get a completely positive identification while he had that on."

"A valid point," Itachi conceded, "I never did get conclusive proof that he was Madara... and in fact, in later years I came to doubt my initial assessment. Still, his power and skills were undeniable, and that was what mattered."

"What was he even doing there?" she asked, "If he'd been ostracized from the rest of the clan and the village at large, why would he be poking around the Nakano Shrine?"

"As it turned out, the idea for a coup hadn't completely come from inside the clan," said Itachi, "The driving energy behind it now certainly was, but the notion was one that 'Madara' had suggested to the core malcontents when he made contact with them. To my knowledge, he took no active role in the planning; he simply threw out the suggestion and they happily made it their own. When the two of us spoke, though, he actually seemed to hold the coup plotters in contempt. That was my opening."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Sorry, but I don't get it. Why would he suddenly go from suggesting a coup to helping you act against it?"

"Whether or not he was the real Madara, he clearly had a grudge against the Uchiha Clan," Itachi replied, "I have no doubt he knew that launching the coup would lead to a civil war that would both annihilate the clan and severely damage the village. Seizing the window of opportunity before me, I struck a bargain with him; I'd help him get his revenge on the Uchiha by massacring the clan, and in exchange for my aid he'd leave the rest of the village and Sasuke alone."

"That's all well and good, but his original plan would've allowed him to kill two birds with one stone," Yoruichi argued, "If he had a grudge against both the clan and the village, having them wage a civil war against each other would've been the perfect revenge. Him allying with you might still let him get back at his clan, but the condition that the village be left alone would run counter to his desires. He wouldn't have much incentive to go along with you."

Itachi nodded. "You're not wrong there. Truth be told, I thought I'd have to argue harder in order to get him to side with me, yet it actually didn't take much to bring him around to my plan. It was strange… apparently, he found me to be more 'interesting' that the members of the clan he'd spoken to before. I don't know if it was because of our previous encounter or if there was something else to it. Either way, the result was the same; we joined forces and plotted the execution of the clan."

"What was the plan of attack?" asked Yoruichi.

"All things considered, rather straightforward," Itachi answered grimly, "He would attack the Military Police Headquarters and wipe out the bulk of the Uchiha Clan's fighters. Meanwhile, I would strike the compound… and wipe out the civilian portion of the clan."

Yoruichi couldn't begin to imagine what kind of resolve it must've taken for him to give himself such a task and move to carry it out. It was chilling to hear him describe planning such an act, and were it not for what had taken place just a few minutes ago she would've questioned if he had any humanity left. As it was, even though his voice was steady once again as he pressed onward, the shadow of shame and sorrow did not leave his eyes.

"What about your brother?" she asked after a brief pause, "How did you plan to keep him out of the crossfire?"

"That was easy," said Itachi, "Danzō would have a member of his Root organization disguise himself as one of Sasuke's Academy instructors and delay his return home by having him stay late for extra shuriken practice. My brother was probably annoyed by the ruse seeing as his skills with shuriken were already quite advanced for his age, but he wouldn't be able to see past the front and discern what was really going on. He was still young, not even a Genin yet… he had no idea what kind of shadows were swirling around him. The board was set, and all the pieces were in place. The operation would be carried out the day before the clan planned to execute the coup."

He was quiet again for a moment as he gathered himself. His outward expression didn't change much, but from the way he looked down at the ground for a few long seconds before he met her gaze again Yoruichi could tell that what was coming next was the act itself. He had already given her the context, the motives, and his feelings about the choice he had made. All that was left now was to describe the execution.

 _Itachi…_

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Before the bloodbath began in earnest… I sought out Izumi. I couldn't spare her; the agreement with Danzō allowed for only one survivor. Still… I could ease her passing. I isolated her… and ensnared her in Tsukuyomi."

"The Mangekyou genjutsu you mentioned earlier," she commented, "What kind of illusion did you spin for her?"

"One where the horrors of what I unleashed that night never took place," he answered softly and mournfully, "Only the smallest fraction of a second passed in real life, but in her mind, she lived out no less than eighty years. A full life in her mind's eye alone… one where we married, had children and watched them grow… where we entered our twilight years together… and then faded from the world. Living out eighty years in such a tiny space of time… the human mind cannot survive being detached from reality in such a comprehensive manner. She died in my arms… and her last words… were to thank me. Thanking the man who had killed her…"

Yoruichi shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder. "She didn't suffer, right?"

"No," said Itachi, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I… I made sure of that."

She gave him a soft smile. "Then you did all you could. If you couldn't spare her, you at least gave her the gentlest passing possible. More than that… you tried to give her in her mind what you were forced to rob her of in reality. I know this might not be of much comfort, but I think her gratitude was sincere. She might not have understood what was happening in the real world or the motives behind it… but I think she knew you cared deeply for her."

Itachi sighed, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "Murdered gently by someone who cared deeply for her… the ease of her passing doesn't excuse the act itself. I knew she had feelings for me, just as I felt something for her… yet I still took her life. In what world could that possibly be considered just?"

"Nothing about the situation you were thrown into was just," Yoruichi replied firmly, "That doesn't change the fact that you acted in a manner that was as humane as possible with her. She passed painlessly, and in her mind, she'd lived a full and loving life. The two of you were caught up in the worst possible circumstances, and you did everything in your power to keep her from suffering for it. It's not perfect, but… well, I can definitely think of worse ways to go."

"Perhaps," he said, although it was clear he wasn't entirely convinced, "I suppose the only way to know for sure would be to ask her if we meet again. I don't know where she might be right now, though. You know better than I do just how difficult it can be to track someone down in the Soul Society."

"Yeah," Yoruichi conceded, "This place's sheer size definitely doesn't make it easy. If you _do_ find her, though… well, it might not be my place to say this, but don't be surprised if she's already forgiven you. From what you've told me about her, I think she would understand why, or at least give you a chance to explain."

A bittersweet smile appeared on Itachi's face. "Maybe. Izumi… she didn't deserve to share the fate of the clan. The Curse of Hatred had no grip on her. I… I should've tried to find a way to spare her too. No… I should've found a way to prevent things from getting to that point to begin with. It was too late, though. I targeted her first partially so I could ensure a peaceful end, but… it was also to steel my resolve. With her death, the last of my hesitation was gone… or so I told myself. From that point forward… the slaughter began."

The shadows that had haunted his gaze throughout their conversation became more pronounced as he described the ghastly affair. "Young and old, men and women… I put them all to the sword. I stalked that compound like a wraith, striking from the shadows. Most fell before they could even identify the assailant, but some manage to put up resistance, however brief it might be. Incidentally, that included the core advocates for the coup, the ones who had convinced my father to go along with their ruinous plan. I took no pleasure in my task, but… well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't experience a measure of satisfaction when I came across them and took their lives. Inabi, Tekka, Yashiro… so eager for their coup the following evening, they never even bothered to consider that the village might strike first. It was only then that they realized where my true loyalties lay, and it was far too late for that knowledge to help them. I was quick… and I was thorough. Eventually, only two targets remained… my parents."

 _The_ real _test of his resolve_ , she thought somberly, _Itachi… for all the fondness you may have had for Izumi, she was just the prologue. Targeting your mother and father for assassination…_

The very notion made her shudder. Sure, she might have her disagreements with her parents from time to time, but that didn't change the fact that she loved them and did not wish any harm to come to them. To be in the situation that Itachi was describing, to turn her blade on them… she couldn't even begin to comprehend it.

"Despite the swiftness with which I had acted thus far, I didn't have much time remaining," Itachi continued, "The operative Danzō had sent to the Academy wouldn't keep Sasuke there indefinitely, after all. Still, when I came to our part of the compound… I hesitated."

"Of course, you did," said Yoruichi, "If you didn't hesitate before something like that, you wouldn't be human."

Itachi shook his head. "Family ties played a role there, true, but there was more to it than that. I loved my mother and father, but they were more than just family; they were both Shinobi. My mother had retired from being a Kunoichi to focus on raising Sasuke and I, but my father had remained an active-duty Jōnin. Theirs was also a marriage where both partners were of the Uchiha Clan, and while I'd never seen my mother use the Sharingan there was always the possibility that hers had been awakened during her career. As for my father… well, I already told you about him."

Yoruichi nodded. "You called him 'Wicked Eye' Fugaku. Even if you were a prodigy, he would've had the edge in experience."

"Exactly," said Itachi his voice softening again, "I fully expected a fight, and yet… when I entered, they were both sitting in the middle of the room. It wasn't a trick or illusion, no trap of any kind. It was just the two of them… and as I approached from behind, they made no move to stop me."

Yoruichi sighed heavily, realizing what had happened. "They already knew the truth behind your actions. They knew that you'd sided with the village over the clan, and that you were acting to stop the coup and subsequent civil war before it could start."

"Yes," said Itachi, a slight crack in his voice betraying what Yoruichi had no doubt was an intense internal turmoil, "and they said as much. They both understood my decision… and accepted it. I was standing behind them, so I couldn't see their faces, but still… I could fully sense their emotions. The kindness and gentleness of my mother… even on that blood-soaked night, her voice almost felt like an embrace. As for my father… there was no bitterness, no sense of betrayal. Both of them… were _proud_ of me. Despite all the death that I had wrought that night… despite the fact that their lives remained to be taken by my blade, and I could not leave until the deed was done… the love they had for their children remained. They asked that I take care of Sasuke… their last request to their eldest son."

He looked down again, and Yoruichi saw that his right hand was trembling. It was as if it was joining the young man's mind in reliving the actions it had taken all those years ago.

"Once more… the tears flowed," he said solemnly, although none fell from his eyes this time as he spoke, "It took every last bit of resolve I had to finally do the deed… to murder the mother and father that loved me more than I had ever realized until that moment. Every single day since then… I've asked myself if there was another way. Countless possibilities and 'what-ifs' have played through my mind, as haunting as the memories of the actions I took that night. And yet, even as the blood of my parents dripped from my blade… the nightmare still wasn't over. My hesitation had cost me time… and my brother had finally returned home."

"At the worst possible moment, too," Yoruichi noted, "Damn… what'd you do?"

Itachi shook his head. "My agreement with Danzō was that I could spare Sasuke in return for purging the rest of the clan, but… I couldn't tell Sasuke the truth about it all. In order to sell the deception to the village that I had wiped our clan due to arrogance and mental instability rather than as a preemptive attack to head off a coup, I couldn't let _anyone_ know the real reasons behind the events of that night. Between striking my deal with Danzō and then actually carrying out the mission, I did have some time to consider what actions I would take regarding Sasuke when it was all over. The conclusion I came to made sense to me at the time, but looking back on it now… it was the worst possible way I could've handled things."

"What happened?" asked Yoruichi, almost dreading the answer.

"I had told myself that my actions were to ensure Sasuke's safety," he answered, "However… I also wanted to preserve his view of the clan. Like I said before, he had absolutely no knowledge of the coup plot. I'm sure he detected hints of the tension within the clan, but he didn't understand what was really going on. In his eyes, the Uchiha Clan was a still a noble Shinobi family, proud and valiant members of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I wanted to make sure he kept that preconception rather than learn the truth and mar his vision of the clan. In order to do so, I came up with a plan; I would convince him to focus all of his hatred on me, motivating him to become a Shinobi powerful enough to eventually hunt me down and kill me. To me, he was the only one that deserved to bring justice to the Uchiha name. He could survive, train, grow… and when the day finally came, he could seek me out, defeat me in battle and end my life. The murderer of the Uchiha Clan would be dead, our family would be avenged, and he could return home to the village as a hero. In order to push that plan forward, though…. in my eyes, the massacre of the clan wasn't enough to fully cement his hatred of me. I had to make _sure_ a grudge took hold, one that would be powerful enough to push him through the difficult years to come. If he could become strong enough to defeat me, then that meant he'd be able to defend himself against anything else our cruel Shinobi World could throw at him. People like Danzō or other hardliners who distrusted the Uchiha and might seek to complete the purge when I was gone would think twice before attacking him."

He looked down for a moment, fresh shame readily apparent in his features. "To get him started down the path I'd chosen for him… I tortured the little brother that I had claimed to love. I unleashed the Mangekyou Sharingan, ensnared him in Tsukuyomi, and tormented him with visions of what I'd done to our family. To further cement his hatred of me, I told him that the reason I had murdered the clan was simply to test myself, and that I was letting him live only so that he could grow to become another test for me down the road. I told him… that I had never loved him… that I had only ever pretended to be a kind older brother in order to measure what he had the potential to become. I insulted him, belittled him… all the while, planting what I believed were the seeds for the justice I wished for him to give the clan in the future. No other Shinobi deserved to kill me; the only one I would allow to avenge the Uchiha would be the one member of the clan that was completely blameless in this whole affair."

Yoruichi shook her head sadly. "Was there really no other way?"

"At the time, I didn't believe so," Itachi replied, "However, looking back on it now… the entire plan was monumentally stupid. It was an exercise to my own vanity, my belief that I could plan out Sasuke's future… that I still had the _right_ to make those kinds of decisions for him after what I had just done."

The self-loathing in his voice was impossible to miss as he continued. "For all that I might claim to love my little brother, I proved that I wasn't above manipulating him. Instead of being honest with him, as I should've from the start, I assumed that I knew what was best. I was determined to give him a future that would be better than mine after that night, but in doing so I acted as though he didn't have any agency in the matter. I laid out a path for him and pushed him down it without giving even the slightest consideration to whether or not it was one that he would _want_ to take. I… I lost any right to call myself his older brother after what I did."

 _He's not even trying to hide his guilt_ , she thought somberly, _I'll give him credit; he sure as hell isn't sugarcoating things here. When it comes to his own actions… he's a harsher critic of himself than anyone else._

"I could see despair, fear and anger overwhelming him," said Itachi, "and in those swirling emotions, something else appeared; the Sharingan. It was only for a few moments, and the sudden surge of chakra from its manifestation caused him to collapse, but it had been there all the same. I could take some comfort in knowing he had it, even if he probably wasn't consciously aware of it at the time. The power of our clan's eyes was at the root of all this misery, but at least it would give him a valuable weapon to wield in the years ahead. It would help him defend himself once he mastered it… and I was sure that he would. After all… he was my little brother."

Those last few words were tinged with bittersweet pride, tugging at Yoruichi's already-straining heartstrings. For someone who normally carried himself with such cool composure, Itachi had demonstrated a depth of emotion that she doubted any of his fellow Soul Reapers or former Academy classmates realized he possessed. Given her role as Squad Two's Captain, Yoruichi was fully aware of the value of never judging a book by its cover, but even so, she found herself caught completely flatfooted by what she'd seen from him today…

…and he _still_ wasn't done yet.

 _Unohana told me that he wept after he recovered from the soul fracture_ , she recalled, _Hearing all of this now… well, it gives that moment a bunch of new context._

"I thought he was down for the count, but I had misjudged his stamina," Itachi admitted, "As I moved to withdraw, he got back up… and actually managed to throw three kunai at me. It wasn't hard to doge the first two, but the last one actually managed to hit my Leaf Village Shinobi headband. There was a curved piece of metal imbedded in it, just as all the others of its kind had, so the blade was deflected. However, the headband came undone from the hit. I was astonished that he'd managed such a feat. That's when I realized… I was crying again. I knew that I had to get out of there immediately. If he saw my tears, I feared everything would come undone. I fled as fast as I could, but even so… I think he still caught a glimpse of my true feelings, even if he likely didn't fully comprehend what he was seeing at the time."

Yoruichi sighed. "No… from what you've told me, I bet his hatred was already taking hold. You were probably safe. Still… I get what you were thinking, but I'm not going to lie; I'm not a fan of your plan."

Itachi nodded. "I can hardly blame you there. Like I said, looking back on it, it was horrible. I used love for my brother as an excuse to feed my own ego in believing I could exercise control over events going forward. There were so many mistakes made that night… still, I think I was able to get at least _one_ thing right."

"What was that?" asked Yoruichi.

"Sasuke's immediate safety," he replied, "Once I'd fled the compound, I sought out two people. The first was Danzō. In order to get him to honor his end of the agreement, I threatened to leak the secrets of the Hidden Leaf Village to the other nations should any harm come to Sasuke. My knowledge of the events of that night alone could rip the village apart if the truth got out, and he knew it."

"Blackmail's probably the only thing that would've worked on a man like that," Yoruichi conceded, "Let me guess; the second person was the Third Hokage."

"Correct," Itachi answered, "While I was furious at how his indecisiveness had contributed to just how badly the situation had decayed, the man still had a sense of righteousness that I could use to protect my little brother. I snuck into his residence, and it turned out that he'd already taken some preliminary action; he'd pieced together the situation and recognized Danzō's hand in the purge, and he had reacted by dismissing him from the village ruling council. His 'Root' organization was also to be officially dissolved in the aftermath of that night. It wasn't perfect; Danzō was more than capable of going to ground and reassembling his private black ops force in secret, but the immediate loss of status would hinder him in the short-term. The Third Hokage gave his word that no harm would come to Sasuke, and despite my disdain with how he'd handled the rising tensions between the clan and the village over the past few years I was certain that he'd keep his word here."

"Some good news out of that tragedy, then," said Yoruichi, "Still, even if the Third Hokage knew that your actions were on behalf of the village and agreed to protect your little brother, there was no way he could let you stay after what you'd done. Danzō might've been a real piece of work, but he did get one thing right; if peace in the village was to be maintained, the truth of your actions that night couldn't get out. Your very presence in the village was now a threat to stability."

"You're right," said Itachi, "I was all too aware of that, and I already knew that I'd be going into exile before that night was over. I would be officially branded a criminal by the village, wanted for mass murder. Shinobi that I had once called comrades would now attack on sight should I encounter them again. It wasn't just Leaf Village Shinobi that would be after me, either; my actions combined with my abilities meant that Shinobi of every nation saw me as a threat and would act accordingly. My extensive training, experience with the Anbu Black Ops, and the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan would make staying one step ahead of the hunters possible. However, I was determined to do more than simply go on the run and wait for Sasuke to grow strong enough to kill me. Publicly, the village would know me from then on out as a monster, but I was still determined to serve in secret as a Shinobi… and there was a potential threat that I wanted to keep an eye on."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Madara, right?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. He might've agreed to my plan that night regarding the Uchiha Clan, but I wasn't a fool; it was entirely possible that he could act against the Leaf Village in the future. I wanted to track his movements… and as it turned out, he offered me the perfect chance to. During our planning session prior to the massacre, he mentioned an organization of rogue Shinobi known as the Akatsuki. It was very small, and there wasn't too much intelligence available on it at the time… but the very fact that 'Madara' was connected to it was more than enough to convince me that it was dangerous. Shortly after the massacre of the clan, he offered me membership in the Akatsuki, claiming that it would help protect me now that I was a wanted man. I was sure that there was more to it than that; in all likelihood, he probably wanted to keep an eye on me as much as I wanted to monitor him."

Yoruichi could understand the logic there. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. So, what did this 'Akatsuki' group want?"

"That was difficult to determine," Itachi admitted, "After the massacre, I spent the rest of my life with them, but their true agenda was layered over by a series of false yet plausible promises. The organization was out to capture the Tailed Beasts scattered around the Shinobi World, but for what exact purpose was veiled. The most common version was what newcomers were told; that the Akatsuki sought out the power of the Tailed Beasts in order to start and then swiftly quell wars, undercutting the Shinobi Villages established by the great nations and eventually putting them out of business. This would leave the Akatsuki as the dominant Shinobi faction and allow them to conquer the world. To raise funds, the group would hire out its members to nations at rates well below those charged by the most prominent Shinobi Villages, allowing us to secure numerous contracts. Every member of the Akatsuki was an extremely powerful rogue Shinobi, each one of us capable of challenging even Kage-class opponents, so I'm sure you can see why our skills were highly sought after even though we were officially the most dangerous criminals in the world."

Yoruichi nodded. "Seems straightforward enough, but Madara's connection alone seems to undercut that stated purpose. After all, based on what you've told me about him, he's the type that would likely have goals apart from simple conquest, although the latter probably wouldn't be exclusive from the former."

"You're not wrong there," said Itachi, "Before I left the Hidden Leaf Village for good, I was able to find a clue as to what that might be. Remember when I told you that I had confronted him in the secret chamber beneath the Nakano Shrine, where the clan had been having its meetings to plot the coup? Even when there was no one inside it, that chamber wasn't entirely empty. There was a stone tablet, one that had been kept there since the founding of the clan."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "What would an old stone tablet have to do with all of this?"

"That tablet contained secrets of the Uchiha Clan," Itachi replied, "However, there was a catch; it could only be translated by someone who had the Sharingan. Even then, someone with only the basic Sharingan couldn't read all of it. Someone with the Mangekyou Sharingan could go further in deciphering it, yet full comprehension would still elude them. My father had mentioned one time that the tablet held the key to restoring the Uchiha Clan to its former glory, although I didn't entirely buy into that. I didn't think it was a coincidence that the clan held its meetings in the same chamber as that tablet, though… and Madara had clearly been drawn to that chamber, particularly after the meetings when he could study the tablet by himself. Since I had unlocked the Mangekyou Sharingan, I took the opportunity to read what I could of the tablet before my exile."

"What did you find?" she asked.

"Some interesting information on the Mangekyou Sharingan," he answered, "There were those clan secrets I mentioned before, but at that point they weren't of particular value to me. There _was_ something that really caught my eye, though; a line stating that the Infinite Tsukuyomi would be the salvation of the Uchiha Clan."

"Tsukuyomi was the illusion power of the Mangekyou, right?" said Yoruichi, "Would this 'Infinite Tsukuyomi' be a more powerful version of it?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… one that, supposedly, used the entire moon to reflect the genjutsu upon the world. I wasn't able to find much in the way of concrete information on it, though. However, I suspected that Madara might be pursuing that as his end-goal and needed the power of the Tailed Beasts to achieve it, hence his forming the Akatsuki; an organization of powerful Shinobi would make tracking down the Beasts and their Jinchūriki a more efficient process. So, my watch began. I would stay inside the Akatsuki, track their movements as I pretended to be one of them, and keep tabs on the Hidden Leaf Village to make sure Sasuke remained protected. All the while, I would wait for Sasuke to grow stronger… counting down until our inevitable deathmatch."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Was that really necessary? I mean, I guess I can understand why you thought that Sasuke was the one that deserved to avenge the clan… and why you wanted to die by his hand. Still, years would've gone by in the meantime. He would've done more than just grow stronger as a Shinobi; he would've grown from a kid to an adolescent, then a teenager, and eventually to adulthood. Couldn't you have found a way to tell him the truth somewhere along the way? Did it all _have_ to culminate in him killing you in the name of revenge?"

Itachi sighed. "I believed so back then, but now… well, in hindsight, I was an arrogant fool. I screwed everything up. The choices I made were mine and mine alone… and I made the wrong ones. My hubris, my belief that I had to make ever decision, that I couldn't lean on others… it blinded me. After Shisui's death, I felt that I had to shoulder everything myself. I should've realized that he wouldn't have wanted it to be that way. I don't know if I could've saved the clan, but as far as what happened after with Sasuke… if I could go back in time, there's _so_ much that I would do differently."

He was making no effort whatsoever to conceal the bitterness and regret in his voice. Yoruichi knew that it was all too easy for someone to become consumed by past failures and what could've been done better, but Itachi had the worst case of it that she'd ever seen. With the benefit of everything that he'd told her thus far, the root cause of it was all too easy to see; in his own mind, he was rightfully condemned and beyond redemption. He believed his crimes were beyond any form of atonement, and that self-image as a monstrous criminal, regardless of the motivations behind his actions, had come to define him in ways he probably didn't even consciously realize.

 _His past is a prison… and he's condemned himself to an eternal sentence within its chains._

 _ **One that you don't think he deserves.**_

 _No… he doesn't._

 _ **So, how do you intend to free him?**_

 _That's a good question…_

 _…one I'm not sure I have an answer for._

Her mental conversation with the spirit of her Zanpakutō did not distract her from Itachi, and her weapon had picked an ideal time to return to silence; the young man still had more to tell her. "Five years passed. Sasuke had grown, become a Genin, all the while I continued my activities with the Akatsuki. The Third Hokage had kept his word; my little brother was protected without ever realizing it. Danzō was still alive, still scheming away in the shadows, but wasn't able to act overtly. Things were moving along more or less the way I wanted… but it didn't last. In fact, everything got upended quite suddenly."

Yoruichi doubted that boded well. "What happened?"

"One of the members of the Akatsuki when I had initially joined was a man named Orochimaru," said Itachi, "Like me, he was a former Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, and a _very_ skilled one at that. He was one of a trio of powerful Shinobi once known as the Legendary Sannin, renowned heroes of the village. Believe it or not, another member of that trio was none other than Jiraiya."

Yoruichi smiled. "Really? Sounds like Jiraiya's good for more than a laugh and some entertaining novels after all!"

She was pleased to see that her remarks could at least elicit a small smirk from her companion. "That's putting it mildly. They were all extraordinarily talented. Jiraiya and third, a woman called Tsunade, remained in the light, but Orochimaru… well, his fall was ugly. He became obsessed with achieving immortality and comprehending every jutsu known to the world, and he performed horrific experiments on his fellow Shinobi in pursuit of those ends. When the village discovered what he was up to, there was an attempt to apprehend him and make him answer for his crimes, but he escaped… and wound up with the Akatsuki. When I joined the group, I attracted his attention, and not in a good way."

"What did he want with you?" asked Yoruichi.

"He saw my Sharingan as a means to acquire all manner of jutsu," Itachi replied, "As a result, he soon tried to attack me and take possession of my body; transferring his essence was the means he went about cheating death, and stealing my eyes would be a bonus for him. I fended him off, and he was forced to flee from the Akatsuki as a result. His interest in acquiring the power of the Uchiha Clan would remain, though… and his gaze would eventually fall upon Sasuke."

Yoruichi grimaced; _that_ didn't sound good. "Your little brother couldn't catch a break, could he?"

Itachi shook his head. "By the time he became a Genin, Sasuke was quite gifted for a Shinobi of his age. However, at that time Orochimaru was leagues beyond him. I eventually found out that when Sasuke's team was taking the Chūnin Exams, Orochimaru had infiltrated the village and sought him out. He infected Sasuke with what he called a Cursed Seal of Heaven, which gave Sasuke potent power at the cost of corrupting his body and drawing him towards Orochimaru. The Cursed Seal was bad enough, but Sasuke already had a reason to seek out Orochimaru of his own free will; me."

Yoruichi nodded grimly. "The thirst for revenge… yeah, I can see him pursuing forbidden power to kill you, regardless of the source."

"He wouldn't pursue it right away," Itachi amended, "but he was dangerously close as things stood… and he soon got the push he needed to go in that direction. During the final phase of the Chūnin Exams, Orochimaru openly attacked the Hidden Leaf Village; he had a long-standing grudge against it, and not just because he'd become a fugitive from justice. He had longed to become the next Hokage following Sarutobi, but the Third Hokage had passed him over in favor of Minato Namikaze. As you know, when Minato died in the Nine Tailed Foxe's attack, Sarutobi came out of retirement to reprise his position as Third Hokage. He remained highly skilled, but his glory years were behind him. Orochimaru had bidden his time, and when he struck that day his patience was finally rewarded. The Third Hokage fought bravely, even sealing Orochimaru's arms and thus depriving him of the traditional means of using the jutsus he so fiercely coveted… but it wasn't enough. Hiruzen Sarutobi met his end that day… which meant that I had a problem."

Yoruichi instantly grasped what he was getting at. "Sasuke's protection… without the Third Hokage to keep Danzō and other hardliners at bay, they had a clear shot at him."

Itachi nodded. "Exactly. I needed to make a play, a show of force to remind Danzō of his bargain and the consequences of breaking it. Fortunately, I actually had a valid pretense to return to the village. Remember how I told you that the Akatsuki were hunting down the Jinchūriki? As it turned out, one of Sasuke's team members was one. His name was Naruto Uzumaki… and he was the son of the late Fourth Hokage."

Yoruichi swiftly put two and two together. "The night that the Nine Tails attacked… the Fourth Hokage sealed it inside his own _son?_ Why the _hell_ would he do something like that?"

Itachi shrugged. "The official story was that he wanted his son to be looked upon by the people of the village as a hero for containing the Nine Tailed Fox. I'm sure there's more to it, but I can only guess at his true motives, and such speculation serves little purpose here. What mattered was that his very existence as another Leaf Village Genin meant that it wouldn't look suspicious to the Akatsuki if I returned to the village; I could make it look like an attempt to capture him. The ruse was enough to fool my partner and most of the organization, although I suspect Madara may have guessed at my real motives."

"Wait a sec," said Yoruichi, "You had a partner while you were with the Akatsuki?"

"Akatsuki members were divided into pairs for our operations," Itachi explained, "Traditional Shinobi teams typically operate in cells with a lead Jōnin and three lower-ranked subordinates, normally Genin or Chūnin. However, given the extreme skill and strength of each individual Akatsuki member it was determined that working in pairs was not only feasible, but desirable; due to our small numbers, concentrating into four-man cells would limit our ability to cover ground, but operating solo could leave us vulnerable. My teammate at the time was a man called Kisame Hoshigaki, a fugitive from the Hidden Mist Village. He was a gifted and powerful swordsman… and rather bloodthirsty, to put it mildly. Returning to the Leaf Village with him in tow was hardly ideal, but I didn't have much of a choice."

Yoruichi winced. "I hope you were at least able to limit the collateral damage."

"All things considered, it could've been worse," said Itachi, "We did skirmish with a group of Jōnin, but there were no life-threatening injuries; I managed to convince Kisame to withdraw before things went too far. The encounter with the Jōnin served my purpose quite well; thanks to their survival, word of my return to the village would inevitably reach Danzō and the surviving councilors. The rest of the village would think that Kisame and I were after the Nine Tails, but Danzō would know that my presence was really a message to him to honor our agreement or else. After that encounter, I pretended to hunt for the Nine Tails with Kisame. We actually _did_ encounter Naruto, but he was never in any real danger. After all, none other than Jiraiya was nearby, and he had already begun mentoring the boy. I was betting on him stepping in before Kisame would force my hand, and thanks to his intervention I was able to avoid blowing my cover. All I had to do was stall for time, which I did so by pretending to contemplate with Kisame the best means for capturing Naruto. However, before Jiraiya's arrival and our subsequent withdrawal… Sasuke showed up."

Yoruichi shook her head in exasperation. "Your little brother has the _worst_ sense of timing."

"I'm sure he hastened to find me once word got out that I had shown up in the village," Itachi replied, "The last thing I had wanted was for him to get involved, but that was now out of my hands. I defeated him quickly… and used Tsukuyomi on him, once again showing him the deaths of our parents."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "Reinforcing his hatred of you, just in case it had waned in the years since he'd last seen you… I get the reasoning, but I can't say that I approve. Poor kid had been through enough already."

Itachi nodded, to his credit not even trying to argue with her. "Agreed. It was one more mistake thrown onto the pile. Our encounter did indeed keep the flames of hatred burning strong within him… and it soon led him to search for the last person I wanted him to seek aid from; Orochimaru."

Yoruichi grimaced. "Orochimaru had already given him a taste of power thanks to the Cursed Seal, so he figured he could become even stronger by going to him… powerful enough to achieve his revenge."

"Any power granted Orochimaru would come at a cost," said Itachi, "In this case, it was easy enough to guess what he was after with my little brother. He'd already failed to take possession of my body, so he substituted Sasuke instead. He would give Sasuke whatever training and power he desired, all to mold him into his ideal future vessel. By the time I learned that Sasuke had left the village, it was too late for me to stop him. Sasuke would have to survive on his own now… and Orochimaru wouldn't be the only threat to him."

Yoruichi could guess where this was going. "Sasuke might've been only a Genin, but he was still a Leaf Village Shinobi. For him to leave the village and seek out a known traitor, especially one that had recently attacked the village and killed the Third Hokage… that would've been treason. Your little brother was painting a target on his own back."

"Exactly," Itachi concurred, "My appearance at the village would've been enough to get Danzō to honor our agreement under normal circumstances, but Sasuke's defection meant that his safety could no longer be guaranteed. There was also the problem that the subsequently selected Fifth Hokage didn't know the truth about the Uchiha Clan massacre or my agreement with the Third Hokage, so they would not be bound by the pact I'd struck with the village leadership all those years ago. Fortunately, the woman that eventually took up the position had stronger ethics than the likes of Danzō. She ordered a mission to retrieve Sasuke, and while it did fail it showed me what kind of person she really was; she had put the emphasis on bringing him back alive, not killing him. I might not have had the same kind of working relationship with her that I did with her predecessor, but I felt that she could, at the very least, be trusted to bring no harm to Sasuke. She might've been unaware of the Uchiha coup plot or the bargain I'd struck with the Third Hokage and Danzō in exchange for carrying out the purge, but she at least wasn't going to order Sasuke's murder."

Yoruichi was skeptical. "You were putting an awful lot of faith in her. Are you sure that was the best call?"

"It was definitely a gamble," Itachi admitted, "However, she did have something else going for her. The Fifth Hokage was none other than Tsunade, the third member of the Legendary Sannin that I mentioned earlier. She had won renown as perhaps the greatest medical Shinobi of her age, and that wasn't even taking into account her formidable strength. She was also the granddaughter of none other than the First Hokage, and from what I could tell she seemed to have inherited his ideals. She wasn't perfect by any means; in particular, she had a reputation for drinking and gambling that was almost as legendary as her healing prowess. Still, compared to the likes of Danzō and the other councilors, she was a breath of fresh air. I might not have personally known her like I did her predecessor, but I felt it was okay to gamble on her character. I still kept an eye on the Hidden Leaf Village just to be safe, but my efforts should've been focused elsewhere. Sasuke was well beyond their reach."

He paused for a moment, and Yoruichi gave him the time he needed to put his thoughts in order before he continued. "Three years went by… and I was running out of time. My travels as a member of the Akatsuki took me far and wide, and somewhere along the way I'd contracted a severe illness. I tried to keep it hidden from the other Akatsuki members, although I'm not sure if I was completely successful. It could be kept at bay for a time through medication, but without highly advanced medical ninjutsu it was ultimately terminal. Since I was an internationally wanted criminal, I could hardly seek treatment from a medical Shinobi. Besides, I hadn't planned on living long; I just need to stay alive until Sasuke could seek me out again."

 _So, he was on borrowed time_ , she thought, _dying of illness even as he was planning for his own brother to kill him… had he really already made peace with his impending death, though? It's not like he knew that the Soul Society was what awaited him on the other side, after all._

"Eventually, I learned that Sasuke had slain Orochimaru," Itachi said, "Of course, knowing just what that man was capable of, I suspected that it wasn't his permanent end. The Cursed Seal he'd placed on Sasuke had the potential to be more than just a means to provide him with corrupting power; I feared that it could also possibly give him an anchor in the world of the living should his physical form be destroyed. I had already been planning on purging his influence from Sasuke well before our inevitable clash took place, and at this point I just needed to live long enough to reach that duel. Orochimaru's 'death' was a signal to me that Sasuke had achieved the power necessary to confront me. Our final encounter was now just a matter of time. Still, I had something I needed to attend to before it took place."

"What was that?" asked Yoruichi.

He met her question with one of his own. "Do you remember that teammate of Sasuke's that I told you about?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Naruto was his name, right? The one that the Nine Tailed Fox was sealed inside. What's he got to do with this?"

"Quite a bit," Itachi replied, "In addition to being one of Sasuke's teammates, he was also involved in the mission to retrieve Sasuke after he defected to Orochimaru. In the three years that had passed since Sasuke left the village, I learned that Naruto had been the most determined to bring him back. I was running out of time; my health was failing, and my use of the Mangekyou Sharingan over the years had left me nearly blind. While I still hoped that my original plan of having Sasuke kill me in our climatic duel and then return home a hero would work, I was concerned that the Uchiha Clan's Curse of Hatred might've taken hold. There was the possibility that he could actually make the village his next target, and as much I wanted to protect him, I could not allow that to happen. I made a choice… one that showed just how far I had fallen as a brother."

Yoruichi gave a weary shake of her head. "What did you do?"

"After all those years, I still had Shisui's eye," Itachi answered, "The power of Kotoamatsukami… and I was willing to use it against my little brother as a contingency. I placed the eye inside a crow that I controlled, and then sought out Naruto shortly before my fight with Sasuke. Ensnaring him in genjutsu, I then forced him to swallow the crow. I had set it to activate Kotoamatsukami when it saw _my_ eyes, compelling whoever was in possession of them to defend the Hidden Leaf Village no matter what."

Yoruichi did a double take. "Wait… compel whoever had _your_ eyes? I'm lost. I thought you were setting that up as a contingency against Sasuke, not yourself."

Itachi actually chuckled at that. "Ah, yes. You see, when I was describing the properties of the Mangekyou Sharingan to you earlier… I left a bit out. There actually is a cure for the blindness caused by the overuse of the Mangekyou, and that's to transplant the Mangekyou Sharingan of another Uchiha, ideally one with strong blood ties. This process creates what is known as the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan; a Mangekyou that can be used without the threat of encroaching blindness."

Another piece of the puzzle fell into place for Yoruichi. "You thought Sasuke would take your eyes after he killed you."

Itachi nodded. "Eventually, yes. I was counting on my death being the trigger necessary for Sasuke to awaken his Mangekyou Sharingan. Even though he hated me, I wanted to believe that part of him still thought back fondly on those days when he could see me as his loving older brother. Given the hatred I had worked to instill in him… well, it was entirely possible that those memories had been completely repressed by his thirst for revenge. I was making a gamble, no doubt there. I believed he would eventually have to use the Mangekyou Sharingan to protect himself from the forces my death would unleash, particularly the likes of Danzō and the man I suspected to be Madara Uchiha. Eventually, his sight would begin to fade, and he would have no choice but to seek out my corpse and claim my eyes to restore his vision and claim the power of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. Since those would be my eyes, that's why I had to set Kotoamatsukami to activate in that particular manner."

Yoruichi felt a chill go down her spine as she processed the implications behind that. "So, in order to protect the village and Sasuke… you chose to sacrifice the free will of your little brother."

"Yes," he said solemnly, not even attempting to hide his guilt, "Another decision that I made for him… acting as if he had no agency in his own life. I was willing to control and manipulate him up until the moment of my death, and even from beyond the grave. His deserved so much better… I was really earning all that hatred I'd worked to instill in him."

 _At least he's owning up to it_ , thought Yoruichi, _I'll give him that much._

"Once I'd ensured that my contingency was in place, it was time to initiate the endgame," Itachi continued, "One of the good things about Sasuke chasing me meant that he was reacting to my movements, which gave me the luxury of determining our battlefield. As the stage, I chose an abandoned fortress that had been established by the Uchiha Clan during the Warring States Period. It was quite out of the way, so we'd have time to finish our fight before any outsiders could interfere. With my final preparations complete, I made sure the word got out to my little brother. He knew where I would be waiting now… and it didn't take long at all from him to arrive."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "He just came right in? I know he was eager to kill you, but he _had_ to have suspected a trap. I sure as hell would've."

Itachi simply shrugged, a hint of melancholy slipping into his voice. "I can't speak to his thoughts on that matter. What he believed at the time is irrelevant now. The only thing that matters is that he showed up. I could tell just by looking at him that he'd grown into a formidable Shinobi. Even as I taunted him, riling him up to make sure that he came at me with everything he had… in my heart, I was proud of him. Had things been otherwise… had he been allowed to mature in a village where the clan remained loyal and I could openly be his loving older brother… I would've been honored to fight alongside him as a comrade-in-arms. Instead, all I could give him was a deathmatch… and a measure of purification."

"Orochimaru's Cursed Seal," said Yoruichi, "How'd you purge it?"

"I had to drag the fight out and make sure Sasuke went to his absolute limit," he replied firmly, "He fought splendidly, and while I was no longer at peak strength, I gave him more than a just a good showing. I didn't want to kill him, of course, but I couldn't give him cause to suspect that I might be holding back. Once Sasuke unleashed his trump card, I got the opening I'd been seeking throughout the duel; his efforts had used up nearly all of his chakra, meaning that he could no longer suppress the essence of Orochimaru that was held within him. It turned out his corruption ran so deep that my worst fears were confirmed; Orochimaru had somehow already embedded his consciousness within Sasuke's body. Now that Sasuke's chakra was utterly spent, he could no longer contain the abomination that was Orochimaru, and that inhuman creature immerged from my little brother's body. He immediately moved to posses Sasuke's body… but I was ready for him."

Yoruichi smiled. "How'd you take him out?"

"Over the course of my travels, I had refined the abilities of my Mangekyou Sharingan," said Itachi, "This included enhancing my Susanoo via a unique weapon that I discovered during one of my journeys; the Sword of Totsuka. It's an ethereal weapon, much closer to the spiritual than physical realm, although it's more than capable of contending with foes in the latter. The weapon is actually housed in a liquid form that's held in a gourd; the liquid then forms the blade once the weapon is called upon."

Yoruichi leaned forward slightly. "Interesting… what does it do?"

"In short, it's a sealing weapon," Itachi answered, "Those stabbed by it are drawn into the gourd. There they are trapped in a realm of drunken dreams for all eternity. It was too kind a fate for the likes of Orochimaru, but it was the only way I could conclusively purge his influence from Sasuke. Once I was sure that the last of his essence had been sealed… well, there was only one thing left to do."

He then gave her a small, almost weary smile. "Sasuke's chakra was utterly spent… and now, so was mine. I had drawn heavily upon the Mangekyou Sharingan throughout the fight, but even without that, my time was done. The illness that had ravaged my body was in its final stages as you already know, and the rigors of that battle were more than enough to use up the last of the borrowed time I had been living on. My final mission was complete… and I believed that Sasuke would soon awaken the power he'd need to truly surpass me. So, without further ado, I collapsed by my brother… and finally passed on. Imagine my surprise when I woke up in the Soul Society rather than the pits of Hell. From there… well, you know most of the rest."

It was tempting for Yoruichi to agree, but there was a footnote she needed addressed first. "Not quite. The soul fracture; why were you brought back? From what you've told me today, it doesn't sound like you were planning on being resurrected after the fight with your brother."

Itachi shook his head. "No, I really had intended on that being the end. My resurrection was courtesy of one of Orochimaru's followers who had thrown in his lot with the 'Madara' that had once helped me wipe out the Uchiha Clan. I was brought back against my will, and the jutsu that did the deed forced me to fight against the Hidden Leaf Village under their command. Fortunately, I wound up running into none other than Naruto Uzumaki… and he still had the crow with Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan inside of him. Kotoamatsukami was activated; after all, it was set for _my_ eyes, remember?"

Yoruichi smirked. "So, your failsafe worked, although not in the manner you thought it would."

Itachi sighed. "It did, but… everything else I had planned before my death had completely fallen apart. I learned that Sasuke had claimed my eyes, just like I'd hoped… but he had also learned the truth about what I'd done, and his hatred became directed towards the Hidden Leaf Village. Rather than become a hero for the village and redeeming the clan name as I'd hoped, he'd become a dangerous enemy, all out of the desire to take revenge for me. It was only then that I finally realized the depths of my folly. Fortunately, Kotoamatsukami had freed me from the control of the resurrection jutsu. I could now act of my own free will, and after helping Naruto I set out to find the one that had brought me back. My goal was to undo the rest of the resurrection jutsu; my time in the Realm of the Living had already ended once, and I was not keen on prolonging this temporary return. My search soon bore fruit… and it also led me to Sasuke again."

He smiled again, only this time it was more genuine, practically a beacon of light in the sea of darkness that his long tale had been. "After all that had happened… all the lies, the manipulation, the torment… all those horrific mistakes I made… I was _finally_ able to tell him the truth. More than that, when the two of us confronted the caster of the resurrection jutsu… we fought side by side. I had no right to ask Sasuke's trust, no right to expect him to willingly partner with me in battle… but he did, just the same. For the first time in a _long_ time… I could finally be the big brother that I'd always _wanted_ to be for him."

His smile grew ever so slightly as he continued. "When our foe was defeated and the jutsu undone… I knew exactly what I wanted to say to Sasuke. It was what I'd wanted to say for _years_ … but only now, after having crossed death's door once and on the verge of crossing again, this time for good, was I finally able to tell him how I really felt. I had no right to ask forgiveness of him after all I had done, nor did I have any right to request that he follow one path or another. My time was well and truly done, and the only person who deserved to dictate Sasuke's destiny was himself. All I could tell him was that no matter what his decision was… I would always love him. After all… he's my little brother. He always will be… not even the divide of life and death will change that."

 _So that was why he wept upon his recovery from the soul fracture_ , Yoruichi mused, _I didn't consider it my place to pry into the matter at the time, but now… I really wish I had. Itachi…_

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again the smile was gone; his expression was now one of somber anticipation. "So… there you have it. From my youngest days to where I sit now… you know it all. Tell me, Yoruichi… what's your verdict? Betrayal, torture, mass murder; I've done it all. Squad Two's domain is the shadows, but tell me; are the shadows of your division dark enough for a man who's committed my sins? Tell me… will you still have me as your subordinate? Tell me…"

"…am I still worthy of your trust as a member of Squad Two after all that I have done?"

….

Itachi couldn't recall the last time in his life that he'd talked so much, let alone about himself. The trepidation that he'd felt going into this had been unlike anything he'd experienced before. Getting his past out in the open, even if it was just with one person, was no small task. Now, here he was; the moment of truth. The woman who was both his Captain and the person that he'd finally admitted to himself that he was attracted to now knew _everything_ about him.

Every secret. Every crime. Every failure. Every shame.

Itachi wasn't going to kid himself here. Murder was one thing, but the massacre he'd committed was several orders of magnitude beyond that. As the head of Squad Two and the Stealth Force, Yoruichi was a woman who knew full well what it meant to get one's hands dirty in the name of duty, but Itachi was sure that she had a limit as to what she could stomach. She'd been kind and understanding with him up until now, and to her immense credit she'd proven herself willing to hear him out as he'd delved into his worst actions, but now his tale was complete. All he could do now was await her judgment.

And he was afraid.

 _I have no right to ask for absolution from her_ , he thought grimly, _I didn't have any right to ask for her trust, either… yet I still did so. The arrogance of that request… all these years, and I've still learned nothing. She would be completely within her right to expel me from the division at the very least, and indeed a good deal more. With what I've done, what I've told her, it wouldn't be hard for her to see me as a threat not only to Squad Two but the entirety of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…_

 _By rights, I should be cast out._

 _Exiled in death, just as I was in life…_

 _…it would be fitting._

Going into today, Itachi had thought he was ready for the worst. He had braced himself for Yoruichi's disgust and horror; regardless of her willingness to listen, what he'd done certainly merited condemnation. Yet she had simply allowed him to continue. She'd given voice to opinions and thoughts on his actions, yet her ultimate judgment had been withheld. If nothing else, Itachi was incredibly grateful for her patience and restraint, but now the time for those was past. Now was the time for her to call him out, to give him every bit of condemnation that he deserved… and despite his preparation, Itachi was afraid. Even though he knew he fully deserved nothing but her contempt, he dreaded it. The last thing he was worthy of was being allowed to continue to serve her after today, yet he dearly wanted that more than anything else.

She continued to look at him in silence, and Itachi could only imagine what was going through her mind. The suspense was tortuous, but he didn't dare attempt to force her answer. She would give her verdict when she was good and ready, and Itachi had no right to rush her.

She closed her eyes for what was probably just a couple of seconds, but what felt to Itachi like an eternity. When she opened them again, he fervently searched for any hint he could find as to her true feelings. She didn't make it easy for him; her years as the head of essentially the black ops of the Soul Society had given her one hell of a poker face.

She took a deep breath before finally speaking. "I always thought that you were an interesting guy, Itachi… turns out I had no idea just _how_ interesting you'd really be, though. You really know how to throw a woman for a loop, that's for sure. That story of yours... if it came from _anyone_ else, I would've called 'bullshit' on it _well_ before they'd finished."

"So, what makes me the exception?" he asked, taking great pains to keep calm demeanor despite his heart hammering with anticipation and dread.

She smiled. "Do you remember the night we first met?"

"Like it was yesterday," Itachi immediately replied.

Yoruichi nodded. "Same here. I think back on it more often than you might imagine. One thing that really struck me was your complete lack of hesitation when that Hollow showed up. You stood your ground and fought unarmed alongside Jiraiya. Sure, Unohana and I had to bail you two out when more showed up, but you both made a damn good showing for yourselves. Still, I saw something that's stuck with me since then; you completely lacked any fear of death that night. For someone who had only just gotten to the Soul Society a couple weeks previously, I would've expected you to place greater value on your second chance at life… but you didn't. You were ready to die again… and I think I finally understand why."

She sighed. "I didn't put too much thought into it at the time; I was more focused on your performance in the entrance exams the next day, and after that on your development as a student. Looking back, though… well, I really should've paid more attention. I should've realized there was something more to you than just a cute guy who could handle himself in a fight. I suspected there was a story, but… well, I never thought it'd be one quite like this. The reason I'm willing to believe you, though, is because it clicks with what I saw that night over six years ago. You were willing to sacrifice your life so soon after getting another chance at it… because you didn't believe you deserved it in the first place. You didn't even think you should be in the Soul Society."

Itachi shook his head. "No… to this day, I still find myself wondering why I'm here instead of the pits of Hell. With all that I've done, it'd be a much more fitting final destination."

"I can see why you'd think that," Yoruichi conceded, "but you have no idea just how wrong you are."

Itachi's eyes widened ever so slightly, and his breath caught in his throat; he hadn't dared to get his hopes up, and yet…

"What… do you mean?" he hesitantly asked.

"I've seen a lot of killers in my time," she answered, "Comes with the territory. You get those that don't accept a shred of responsibility for their actions, those that deny that they did it despite the overwhelming evidence against them, those that might show some remorse but still try to find a way to shift the blame off of their shoulders… the list goes on. Seeing one that actually owns up to it, shows sincere regret and doesn't even _attempt_ to shy away from the blame? That's rarer than you might think."

"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at," said Itachi.

She put her hand on his shoulder, once again smiling. "What I'm getting at, Itachi, is that you're taking complete responsibility for your actions. You have the courage to face what you did head on and call yourself out for it in a way very few people do. That says a lot about you, whether you realize it or not."

Itachi shook his head. "Whether I accept responsibility for my actions or not, that doesn't change the fact that it was still mass murder. Coup plotters and civilians alike; I didn't discriminate, Yoruichi."

The Captain sighed. "No… you didn't. You said it yourself; you were thorough. If you had claimed that you were 'just following orders' when you carried out that massacre, there's no way that I'd let you get away with shaking off the blame like that. That wasn't it, though. You were given an _impossible_ choice at an age where you should _never_ have been put into such a position."

"My age is no defense," Itachi countered, "I knew full well what I was doing."

"That's not the point," Yoruichi shot back, "My point is that you were facing the absolute worst-case scenario regardless of the path you chose going forward. Did you make the right call? Honestly, I don't know. What I _do_ know, though, is that you made the most difficult decision of your life out of love for your brother and the desire for peace. You did more than just kill your family; you sacrificed everything you'd known for the sake of preventing a coup that you believed would've set off a chain reaction culminating in a catastrophic war. You gave up your family, your personal honor and reputation, and the love of the little brother you cared so deeply for, because you believed it was the only way to salvage _something_ good from what was a set of horrifically rigged circumstances."

She looked up for a moment before facing him again. "I think that's why you ended up here instead of Hell. The last thing your actions could be described as was selfish. Even if you believe arrogance played no small role in many of your decisions, you ultimately weren't acting out of self-interest. You were acting out of duty and love, trying to carve a path forward and find some form of light in an incredibly bleak and dark world. You were still searching for the right path when all you could see was wrong… and I believe that matters far more than you might think."

Yoruichi then stood up, gazing down at him for at least a few good seconds before continuing. "I can't offer you absolution. Believe me, I wish I could. I want nothing more than to wash away the guilt that you feel, especially since I can see just how badly it's consumed you over the years. There's only one person that can really do that, though; you. You have to learn to forgive _yourself_ , Itachi, and that's not going to be easy. With all that you've done, the path of atonement is going to be a long one… but it's one that I'd love to help you find your way along."

Then she held out her hand, a warm smile gracing her face. "If there's one thing today has taught me more than anything else, it's this; you're a good man, Itachi. You may not believe it, but it's true. When I look at you, I see someone who's made terrible mistakes, ones that you might believe are beyond redemption… but they aren't. You deserve the right to move forward and reclaim your life from your past. You deserve the chance to build a new future for yourself in the Soul Society… and I'd be more than happy if the road to that future continued to go through Squad Two. You asked if you're still worthy of my trust as a member of my division? My answer is _yes._ "

She then gave him a wink and gestured with the fingers of her outstretched hand. "What do you say, Itachi? I can't say for sure what twists and turns your road to atonement's going to take, but I _can_ say for sure that I want to help you make the trip. A friendly nudge or two to help you keep moving forward, a shoulder to lean on when things get rough… I'll give you that and a good deal more. In return, all I want is for you to keep pushing yourself. Grow stronger, rise through my division, and show the Soul Society what the _best_ of the Uchiha Clan is capable of when they've transcended the Curse of Hatred. Come out from the shadows of your clan and your past. Squad Two might take you through darkness, but there'll be light as well. It's there, and all you have to do is chase it. I'll do all I can to make sure you hit the ground running. You're not going to let something as petty as that Uchiha pride stand in the way, are you? You're a better man than that; I _know_ it."

In that moment, as he stared up with her, Itachi was utterly captivated by what he saw. That confidence radiating in her eyes, the complete openness and acceptance emanating from her, the firm _belief_ in her gaze that he could rise to the challenge she'd set for him…

…it was _beautiful._

 _She_ was beautiful…

…and only now was he able to fully appreciate it.

 _ **Your move**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō gently nudged him.

 _Yes… and there's only one move to make._

Reaching out, he accepter her hand. She pulled him to his feet with strength that belied her slender figure, but it wasn't enough to just get him standing again. He found himself in her embrace a moment later, and despite his shock it only took him a few seconds to return it.

"You can do this, Itachi," she whispered in his ear, "I don't know how long it'll take, and I don't know where you'll go before it's over, but I've got your back every step of the way. If you ever need _anything_ , you know where to find me. My door will _always_ be open to you."

He smiled, relishing this closeness with her. "Thank you, Yoruichi."

The two of them released each other a few moments later, and rather reluctantly on Itachi's part. He could've stayed like that with her for _so_ much longer… and the look in her eyes told him that she might not have minded, either. Still, the outside world beckoned. Itachi had long lost track of how much time they'd spent down here, but he was sure that their absence had definitely been noticed by their comrades in Squad Two.

"The rest of the day's yours to do with as you please," said Yoruichi, "I expect you to be ready for duty tomorrow bright and early. Can I count on you, Itachi?"

His response was confident and immediate. "Yes."

"Good," she replied, "Let's get back to barracks. I don't know about you, but all that talking's got me feeling hungry. We've gotta be _way_ past lunch time by now."

"My apologies," he said, "I didn't mean for this to go on for so long."

Yoruichi shook her head and gave him a friendly smirk. "Don't worry about. A story like _that_ is more than worthy of my time. Let's move, Itachi!"

As he followed her out of the secret training ground, Itachi couldn't help but notice a subtle lightness in his step. It wasn't just because the sleeping draught she'd given him the night before had finally run its course. Somehow, if only just a little bit, the darkness that had permeated his soul for so long seemed to have receded.

How much further could he push it back?

 _ **As far as you have the will to. Your future is yours, and you have the means to seize it.**_

 _All thanks to her._

 _ **And to**_ **me** _ **as well.**_

 _You trying to say something?_

 _ **Come visit me before calling it a day. You'll see what I mean.**_

….

As Itachi walked through his inner world, he didn't notice any overt changes. The crimson moon and stars still shone in the clear sky above, bloodred flames flickered in their stone lanterns; it remained as eerie now as it had been during his last visit. Itachi was beginning to wonder if the spirt of his Zanpakutō had been toying with him earlier when she'd requested that he visit. She wasn't the type to call him over just for conversation; if she wanted to chat, she could do that with him anytime he wanted. After all, she had unfettered access to his head.

 _What is she playing at?_

He spotted her up ahead, sitting atop her rock and waiting for him. That was when Itachi noticed what had changed. Her black sword was drawn and held idly at her side, and as he got closer, he saw that the gap running down the center of the blade was filled with crimson flames. In fact, a steady stream of crimson flames was emanating from the gap and flowing into the sky, and as Itachi's eyes narrowed he realized that these flames were actually taking on the form of birds as they took off from the sword. Just a few seconds had passed, but already scores of these 'birds' were fluttering about above the spirit of his Zanpakutō, and that number was growing quite rapidly.

 _No… not just any birds._

 _Crows._

Having worked so closely with crows when he was still alive, the shape of the flame 'birds' was unmistakable to Itachi. Sure, the fact that they were crimson was a stark contrast to the crows that Itachi was used to, along with the notion of them being made of flame instead of flesh and blood birds, but when had anything about his inner world made _any_ sort of sense? It certainly didn't follow the rules of the material world, that was for damn sure.

"What is this?" he asked as he stopped before the spirt of his sword, gesturing at the flock of fiery creatures that flew around her.

She smiled. "Evolution. Your confession today accomplished more than simply informing your dear Captain about your past misdeeds. It was a necessary step forward, one that was long overdue. Now you stand on the precipice of the next step."

Itachi shook his head. "I don't understand."

The woman clothed in black flames giggled. "I'm not surprised. Ask me my name."

Itachi was a bit taken aback; he'd grown accustomed to her shrugging and rolling her eyes whenever he'd asked her over the past few years. Why this sudden invitation?

He obliged her, and once again he couldn't make out the answer. However, that didn't mean the question had been in vain. He _could_ discern her voice, even if he couldn't tell what exactly she'd said. The mysterious blurring of the air over her mouth had lessened slightly as well, not enough for a clean lip reading, but still noticeable nonetheless.

There was silence for a good long moment before he spoke again. "What does this mean?"

She held out her hands in an all-encompassing gesture. "It means that the next step in your journey lies before you… and the power to pursue it lies within your grasp. Your Captain's faith in you is not misplaced. Soon, you will be able to _truly_ begin wielding my power… and the Soul Society will be in for quite a shock when that day comes, I promise you that!"

Itachi allowed himself a small smile. "I see. What should I do in the meantime? This might be progress, but I still can't make out your name just yet."

She smirked as she slid off the rock and stood before him, raising her black sword as fresh birds of crimson flame continued to take to the sky. "Well, don't sit around idly, that's for damn sure. The drug your Captain gave you the night before has completed its passage through your body, as I'm sure you're well aware. She might've given you the rest of the day off, but _I_ have other ideas."

Itachi chuckled as he drew his blade. "I see. Very well, then. Let's go."

….

 **A few weeks later…**

As far as Rukon Districts went, South 28 was quite pleasant. Despite being so deep in the Wandering Soul City, the district was notable for actually having a considerable amount of space reserved for agricultural activity. Rice was the main product, but various fruits were also grown there in considerable quantity, and there were even ranches set aside for cows, pigs, goats, and more besides. Given the demand for quality food inside the Seireitei, South 28's products were considered a high priority resource, so naturally the district was included in Squad Two's patrols. Patrolling South 28 was Itachi's current assignment, and he was enjoying the chance to explore a district that he'd never seen before.

Yoruichi had only begun giving him Rukon District patrols about a week ago, and so far, they'd all been in districts with low numbers. Itachi knew that this was intentional on his Captain's part; she was clearly easing him into his new area of responsibility by giving him relatively safe districts to start with. He suspected that this would go on for at least a couple more weeks before she'd start sending him into the riskier districts. He didn't mind the slow start; working the calmer interior districts gave him a chance to focus on his and Shisui's project of tracking down other members of the Uchiha Clan in the Soul Society. They hadn't had much luck so far, but given the sheer size of the Rukon District that was to be expected.

 _Shisui's been searching for over a decade now_ , Itachi mused, _and he still hasn't found any trace of them. This hunt of ours is likely to go on for a_ very _long time…_

Finding the clan was one thing, but what the two of them would do if and when they encountered their kinsmen was another altogether. Their first priority, naturally, would be to determine if they still held onto the old ambition and resentment that had led the Uchiha Clan down its dark path the last time. Itachi hoped that the perspective the afterlife had granted him would likewise have an impact on other members of the clan and that they would abandon their old grudges with their deaths, but he wanted to prepare for the worst. He and Shisui were well aware of what the clan was capable of, and his old friend had proven that it was possible for an Uchiha to regain the Sharingan in death. If others had as well, and enough of them had gathered together to reconstitute the clan, there was no telling what they might plan.

At least he now had a powerful ally apart from Shisui and Jiraiya who understood what a potential threat the clan was. Yoruichi hadn't asked him any follow-up questions in the weeks since their conversation, but she was no fool; Itachi was certain that she knew he was using these relatively easy patrols to search for signs of the clan. Now that she was fully aware of his history and what the Uchiha had attempted in the past, it would be all the easier for him and Shisui to inform her if they encountered a reborn clan, and she would have the knowledge necessary to formulate a strategy for Squad Two and the Stealth Force. Hopefully they could keep any potential tensions from spiraling out of control. Head Captain Yamamoto wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi; the venerable Soul Reaper had been willing to wipe out the populations of entire islands in the distant past in order to end a civil war. Purging an upstart clan, even one with the power of the Sharingan, would be an all too easy decision for him to make.

 _The clan would have no idea what they'd be up against with him_ , Itachi thought, his sparring match with the old warrior running through his mind, _That enormous power, millennia of experience, and the willingness to go as far as he did two thousand years ago with Nur-Andunaya… he'd put them down far more quickly than_ I _did, that's for sure._

He brushed his concerns about the Head Captain from his mind. With the way all of his previous patrols this week had gone, the odds of him encountering any signs of the Uchiha Clan today were slim to none. Even if South 28 was considered to be a safe district, it still wouldn't do for him to be distracted. It wasn't just Hollows or people from the Shinobi World that he had to keep an eye out for; he had to be mindful of the rest of the district's inhabitants. Troublemakers weren't all that common in lower-numbered districts, but they weren't entirely unheard of either.

He was currently positioned on one of the rooftops overlooking the district's central marketplace. Dusk was approaching, but even so there was still plenty of activity below. Farmers sold their wares and purchased new equipment, local artisans attempted to draw customers to their stalls, the scent of freshly cooked meat wafted through the air, and the clamor hundreds of people going about their business was ever-present. All in all, it was a rather pleasant scene, reminding Itachi of the more peaceful parts of life in the Hidden Leaf Village, albeit on a much larger scale.

 _Perhaps I'll come back here sometime when I'm off duty_ , he mused as he looked around, _I can think of worse places to spend an afternoon._

One of the nice things about being a full-fledged Soul Reaper was that he had an official stipend now. The student allowances from the Academy had been nice, but the pay he got now that he was on active duty was substantially more, and that wasn't even taking into account the fact that he was an officer. Itachi hadn't become a Soul Reaper for the financial benefits, but it was always good to have a little more cash available. His quarters back at the Squad Two barracks were quite modest as was befitting his relatively low rank, but there was still room for a few personal belongings to spruce it up a bit.

He was idly scanning the stalls below in search of potential items to come back and purchase later when he sensed something unusual. Turning towards the southeast, he closed his eyes and focused until he narrowed it down. It was a faint bit of spiritual pressure, likely from one of the residents of the district. That wasn't odd in and of itself; Itachi had occasionally picked up on traces of spirit energy from souls in the Rukon District who had higher than average amounts of power, perhaps enough to mark them as potential candidates for the Academy. What was unusual here was that the energy he sensed actually felt familiar, but for the life of him Itachi couldn't figure out why. The closest he could get to describing the sensation was that it felt like something he had lost long ago, yet even than that wasn't nearly enough to help him narrow it down.

He was about to go investigate when he felt a handful of additional presences make themselves known, and this time there was no doubt in his mind as to what they were. Raising his gaze towards the sky, he saw three purple-black rifts appear and heard a set of familiar blood-curdling, primal screams.

 _Hollows._

"So much for an easy patrol," he muttered.

Why they'd appeared so far into the Rukon District was a puzzle he'd have to figure out later. As the people in the market below dropped everything they'd been doing just moments ago and began fleeing in terror, Itachi was already Flash Stepping his way across the rooftops towards the threat. It didn't escape his attention that the threat was to the southeast, the same direction he'd felt that unusual presence just seconds earlier.

To his knowledge, he was the only Soul Reaper currently patrolling in this area. Since South 28 was far into the interior of the Rukon District, it was certainly possible that reinforcements would show up soon, but Itachi couldn't afford to wait. Every second that passed was one that the Hollows could prey upon the residents of the district, and he was determined to stop them. He was little more than a blur to any observers below as he zipped over the rooftops, his training in the art of Shunpo serving him well.

The trio of Hollows had landed in a clearing up ahead. Studying the beasts as he rapidly approached, Itachi determined that they were standard Hollows, not unlike those he'd fought during his time as a student or the night he'd met Yoruichi. This would be as good an opportunity as any to see just how far his skills had come, and it would be his first official action against the main enemy of the Soul Society since his graduation.

Unfortunately for Itachi, the Hollows weren't the only beings currently in the clearing. Several houses were nearby, and their occupants were still trying to evacuate the area. The three Hollows were heading straight towards them, intent on making these residents their first meal of the night. Itachi moved as fast as he could, but even then, he still feared that he wouldn't make it in time.

That was when he saw a figure step out from the crowd, facing down the three Hollows alone. They wore a black cloak that didn't reveal much apart from a pair of black leggings that went up to just above the wearer's knees, followed by just a hint of fair skin. The legs combined with the slender arms that emerged from the cloak were enough to tell Itachi that the figure was female, but beyond that he could discern no further details. However, the figure then went into a stance that he immediately recognized; it was an opening form of standard Leaf Village taijutsu.

 _They have Shinobi training…_

Training or not, Itachi knew it wouldn't be enough; his own unarmed first encounter with a Hollow was proof enough of that. Taijutsu might help the cloaked woman buy some time, but unless she demonstrated that strange burst of power Jiraiya had shown she wouldn't be able to land a killing strike. She had spirit energy, but from the irregular pulses Itachi could detect it clearly wasn't refined by formal training.

He leapt from the last rooftop and came down behind the trio of Hollows. Before the beasts were even aware of his presence, Itachi struck his opening blow. Rushing beneath the closest Hollow, he cut the legs out from under the monster, and as his foe fell, he then raised his blade and stabbed it through the neck. The Hollow immediately dissolved around Itachi, but he was already moving onto his next target.

The second Hollow had just enough time to turn towards Itachi and lash out with its claws, but the blow was clumsy and wild. Itachi effortlessly leapt over the attack and came down on the creature's upper back. He plunged his Zanpakutō into the back of the monster's neck, ending the creature's life with a single strike.

That was two Hollows down, but there was still one left, and that was the one closest to the cloaked woman. Itachi was impressed to see that she was holding her own. While he'd been dispatching the other two beasts, the third had moved to attack the woman, but so far its brute force attacks had failed to find their mark. She moved with lithe grace, rolling and flipping about to evade the Hollow's claws and teeth while striking back with kicks and punches where she found an opening. Unfortunately, her blows lacked the power needed to get through the Hollow's hide. She had the creature's attention solely on her, allowing the people she'd been with earlier to flee, but Itachi could already tell that this was just a delaying action.

It reminded him of that fateful night with Jiraiya, Yoruichi, and Unohana, but with a crucial difference; this time, the duty of rescuer was his, and he swiftly moved to carry it out. As the Hollow reared up and raised both its fists to bring down on the woman in what would surely be a fatal blow if it connected, Itachi moved in from the flank. Jumping into the air, he cut off the beast's left arm at the elbow before landing on its shoulder. The Hollow shrieked in pain and frantically swung its remaining arm, forcing Itachi to leap from his perch before he could strike the final blow. This was only a momentary setback, though. As soon as he hit the ground, he rushed forward. The creature made a desperate swipe with its claws, but before it could make contact Itachi had already thrust his sword into the monster's chest. It gave one last cry of pain and rage before becoming nothing more than dust on the evening wind.

Scanning the area, Itachi detected no further threats and sheathed his Zanpakutō. He then turned to the cloaked woman, who was looking right at him. The hood veiled her face in shadow, but from the way she carried herself it looked to Itachi as if she'd seen a ghost.

 _ **Well, technically speaking, you**_ **are** _ **a ghost.**_

 _Good point._

"Are you all right?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

For a good long moment, she didn't answer, regarding him in silent shock. When she finally _did_ speak, though, it swiftly became _his_ turn to be at a loss for words.

"Itachi… is that… is that really _you?_ "

He couldn't suppress the gasp that followed even if he'd tried, nor could he keep his face from becoming nearly as pale as freshly fallen snow. He _knew_ that voice.

And the last time he'd heard it…

…was on that fateful night fourteen years ago.

"Are you…" he said softly, his mind struggling to process what was happening, "Are you really…"

The woman standing before him took a step closer before raising her hands and pulling back her hood. Long raven hair fell freely, with straight bangs framing fair cheeks and onyx eyes…

…the same eyes that Itachi had inherited from her.

"Mother…" he whispered.

There was no mistaking it. It was really her.

Mikoto Uchiha.

 **Author's notes:** Hey, I told you it was a long one! This is a chapter I've been looking forward to doing for a while, and I wanted to make sure I got it right. Of course, that's ultimately up to the readers, but the die's been cast. The story moves onward, and I'll _try_ to get the next chapter out faster. No promises, though!

A quick word regarding Mikoto's marriage to Fugaku. In my run through the Naruto lore, I couldn't actually get confirmation if theirs was a match within the clan or if Mikoto came from outside it. Ultimately, I decided to have her be from within the clan, for reasons that will become clear later on.

Well, hope you liked the chapter! Please review, and I'll see you all next time!

P.S.

If you guys have questions regarding when a chapter will be released, just PM me instead of posting guest reviews repeatedly asking that. I promise I don't bite!


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's notes:** Hi! Okay, confession time: I had originally intended to include this as part of a larger chapter, but as I wrote these scenes, I began to realize that they work better as their own chapter, and as a nice little resolution for the cliffhanger from earlier. Besides, I figured you guys had a long enough wait for the previous chapter, so I'm being nice to you this month!

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Fourteen: Reunion**

Of all the encounters Itachi could've had today, this was the _last_ one that would ever have crossed his mind. This was supposed to be just a routine patrol, but to say things had taken a turn for the unexpected would be a considerable understatement. Standing in front of him, after he'd taken her life fourteen years ago, was none other than his mother.

Where did he even _start_ with that?

His heart and mind were a complete mess. Images of the night of the Uchiha Clan massacre flashed through his head. His mother's last words, her acceptance of her impending fate and her request that he protect Sasuke…

…and then her blood dripping from his blade.

He couldn't move. Hell, he could barely _breathe_. Words completely failed him. All he could do was look at the woman standing before him and wonder. She'd been in the Soul Society for fourteen years, and so close to the Seireitei. While he'd been studying at the Academy, she'd been out in the Rukon District. Was today her first encounter with Hollows? Given that the beasts were attracted to people who had even slightly higher-than-average amounts of spirit energy, he doubted it. While he'd been attending lessons in safety, she'd been in mortal danger.

He'd already murdered her, and now he'd unwittingly neglected her by failing to find her before now. It didn't matter that he hadn't been able to patrol the Rukon District until just a week ago, or that it was incredibly vast and the odds of today's encounter were ridiculously small. The only thing that mattered to Itachi was that she'd been here this whole time, potentially at the mercy of the next Hollow incursion or one of the less savory inhabitants of the district.

How had she survived for so long? Yes, she had her old training as she'd amply demonstrated earlier, but that could only do so much. Between the Hollows and the criminal element found in the Rukon District, she would've been hard pressed, especially given the fact that her spirit energy made her a highly appealing snack for the beasts. Itachi had only spent a couple of weeks in the Rukon District before moving to the safety of the Seireitei; she'd been out there for _fourteen years_.

He was so caught up in the tempest that was his thoughts that he almost didn't even see her reach out to him, and nearly jumped when he felt her right hand on his left cheek. Her shock must've been as great as his, and Itachi couldn't blame her for wanting to make sure that what she was seeing was real.

"I… I've looked for so long…" she said, her hushed tone almost cracking as she fought back tears, "I wanted to find you, but… at the same time… I knew what it would mean if I did. Itachi…"

He couldn't bear to meet her gaze, not after what he'd done to her that bloody night. "Mother… I…"

He wanted to say 'sorry', but that word felt wholly inadequate given all that had transpired. Did 'sorry' make up for the fact that he had murdered her and then mentally tormented his younger brother when she'd asked him to protect Sasuke? How in the name of the Soul King could he even _begin_ to apologize for what he had done?

He felt his mother's hand slip beneath his chin, and he didn't fight her as she lifted his gaze to meet her. That was when he saw the smile on her face…

…and the tears of joy falling down her cheeks.

Without a word, she took him into a fierce embrace. She held him tighter than he'd ever felt before, as if she feared that he would vanish should her grip loosen even the slightest. He felt completely unworthy of such a gesture, but all the same he returned it. She was openly sobbing now, but even though he couldn't see her face he could tell just from her voice that she was also smiling.

"My _son!_ " she cried, running one hand through his hair, "Itachi… I've… I've missed you _so much!_ "

His restraint faltered, with a small smile appearing on his face and tears of his own slowly beginning to trickle down his face. "Mother… I… I've missed you too. I'm… I'm so sorry… for _everything_ … I…"

She loosened her grip so that the two of them could face each other, although she didn't completely let go. "It's… it's all right, Itachi. That night… your father and I… we accepted your decision. We knew why… and we didn't blame you. We never could… _I_ never could."

Itachi shook his head. "That doesn't matter. I… I still took your lives. You and father… and so many others. What I did that night…"

"Itachi, _stop_ ," his mother firmly cut him off, "When your father and I accepted our fates… we both knew what you would do would tear at your heart for the rest of your life. It was the _last_ thing either of us wanted, but I knew it was unavoidable. That's why, when I woke up here and realized what this place was… I made a promise to myself. I swore that… if I found you… I'd do all I could to help you heal. What kind of mother would I be if I did anything less?"

Itachi sighed. "It's… it's not just about that night. What happened after… with Sasuke…"

Mikoto's eyes widened slightly. "He's… still alive, right?"

Itachi nodded. "He was when I last saw him, and I believe he still is even now. Still, what happened between us from that night forward…"

His voice caught in his throat. After telling Yoruichi everything, he would've thought that this would be easier, especially given his audience. However, given the request she'd made before he'd cut her down, the guilt and shame Itachi had carried ever since was once again pushing itself to the forefront.

His mother seemed to sense as much. "Itachi... I'm sure things weren't easy between you two. Sasuke… it'd be natural if he held a grudge. Your father and I understood why, but Sasuke would've still been a child… he wouldn't have been able to grasp everything that was happening back then."

Itachi took a deep breath; despite his fear, he knew his mother needed to know the truth of what had happened after she'd died. "We should find someplace safe to rest and talk. There's… a lot that I need to tell you."

….

Dusk had long ago turned to night, but that didn't mean all activity in South 28 had ceased. With the Hollows having been swiftly taken care of, the residents of the district had returned to their normal routines, and the night life of the area was now in full-swing. The market stalls had closed up for the day, but taverns and teahouses all over were open for business and fielding full houses of hungry and thirsty customers. Bustling crowds of people chatting with friends, family and colleagues gave Mikoto and her eldest son all the cover they needed for him to tell her what had happened since that tragic night fourteen years ago. Itachi had gotten them a private booth in the back corner of one particularly lively tavern, and after ordering drinks for the two of them he'd wasted no time in telling her everything she'd wanted to know and a good deal more.

 _He went through so much after that night_ , she thought somberly as she absorbed it all, _Itachi and Sasuke both… they had to grow up_ far _too quickly. If only things had been different…_

Her son had not held back, and Mikoto hadn't failed to notice how harsh he was being towards himself. It was certainly true that she was far from happy regarding some his actions, particularly when it came to how he'd manipulated Sasuke and fed his little brother's hatred through tormenting illusions, but it was hard for her to feel like she had any right to judge what he'd done. After all, there was so much that _she_ should've done before that fateful night, but hadn't.

Fourteen years of wandering the Soul Society had given Mikoto more than enough time to think back on all that had transpired leading up to that horrific night. Her eldest son wasn't the only one harboring guilt and regret. Mikoto had lost count of how many times she'd wracked her brain since passing on, search for signs that she should've recognized, ways that she could've acted to prevent the tragedy that had unfolded. She hadn't been an active Shinobi since she'd first become pregnant, but that shouldn't have stopped her from being more proactive as the situation had deteriorated.

All this and more ran through her head as she listened to Itachi. She hadn't been keeping track of time, but when he'd finally finished, she was sure that several hours at the very least must've gone by. The crowd at the tavern was still going strong, so they had plenty of cover, but Mikoto could tell that the strain of the day's events was starting to wear on Itachi. It wasn't from physical exertion; he'd dispatched the Hollows easily enough. Rather, it was emotional and mental, which didn't surprise her at all. She could only imagine how he must've felt telling her what he had.

He looked down at his cup in shame when he finally finished. "That night, your final request was for me to look after Sasuke… and I failed. Short-term, I might've secured his survival, but beyond that… I know that what I did wasn't what you had asked me to do. I know that…"

Mikoto reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "Itachi… that's enough."

He brought his gaze up to meet hers, his eyes widening slightly. "Mother…"

"I've had _fourteen years_ to think about what happened," she said firmly, "and that includes what might've happened afterwards. It's true that I'm far from comfortable with what you did to Sasuke to get him to hate you and avenge us; that was the _last_ thing I wanted, and I'm sure it's the same for your father. Nevertheless, I understand _why_ you did it. I may not approve of your plan, but I can comprehend the reasons you had for it."

Itachi shook his head. "Those reasons don't change the fact that it was wrong."

"They also don't change the fact that Sasuke's still alive, and that you acted above all to protect him in your own way," Mikoto replied, "Itachi… the last thing I'm going to do is add to the guilt you've carried for so long. If anything, you've put far too much of the blame on yourself."

"Hardly," said Itachi bitterly, "My actions, both that night and leading up to it…"

"And what about _my_ actions?" asked Mikoto pointedly, "Or rather, my complete _lack_ thereof? Did you ever think about that?"

"You were raising Sasuke," Itachi countered, "You had more than enough to deal with back then, and you were trying to shield Sasuke in your own way from what was going on between the clan and the village."

Mikoto shook her head. "It's true that I had devoted my time to Sasuke… but he's not my only son. You grew up so fast, Itachi… and I think part of that was my fault. I should _never_ have let your father take you to that battlefield all those years ago. I loved him, but I should've fought _so_ much harder against his decision that day. When the two of you came back, I realized that something inside you had changed forever… your innocence had been taken far earlier than it should've been. You were still so young, but from that day forward you were no longer a child. I recognized that, but… I failed to fully understand just what that really meant. Your abilities grew so quickly from that day forward, and your father and I were proud of you, but neither of us really comprehended just how much you'd matured. We felt that you were already growing beyond us, and when Sasuke came along I focused my attention on him… and neglected you."

"That's not true," Itachi argued, "I knew you still cared for me as your son, and I didn't begrudge you for concentrating on Sasuke. He needed your care more, especially with all that was happening."

Mikoto nodded. "Since Sasuke was so young, he _did_ need my care… but so did you. No matter how quickly you had grown, you were still my eldest son… and I failed to recognize what was happening to you. How the turmoil between the clan and the village was consuming you… and how desperate you were to save the Uchiha from what they were becoming. When your father told me what the clan was planning, I had my concerns, but ultimately, I didn't argue. I should have, though. If I had done so, if I could've convinced him not to go along with the others, to report to the Hokage and work together to find a solution… none of this would've happened. Instead, I simply left the clan politics to him and focused on being a mother… and _you_ paid the price for it, Itachi."

"I didn't want you to get involved," Itachi protested, "I wanted you to keep giving Sasuke the affection and care he needed to grow."

Mikoto smiled. "I know, but… what about the affection and care that _you_ needed, Itachi? If I'd spent more time with you… sat down with you and talked to you honestly about what was happening with the clan, let you share your true feelings with me… how much could we have changed the future? You have no idea how many times I've asked myself that very question these past fourteen years…"

"Still…" said Itachi softly, "This… this wasn't your fault, mother."

"Perhaps not entirely," Mikoto replied, "but there were still choices that I could've made differently. I don't know if I could've changed things, but I should've at least _tried_. My inaction was my failure as your mother, and I've regretted that ever since."

Itachi sighed. "It sounds like we've both had our share of guilt and remorse since that night. Our past casts a very dark shadow, and we're still fighting to break free of it."

Mikoto's smile grew ever so slightly. "We can't change the past, Itachi… but there's still hope for the future. I had no idea what awaited me on the other side that fateful night, but this… the Soul Society's certainly not what I expected, and yet it's better than I could ever have hoped for. It's hardly perfect, but we have a second chance here, and we can't afford to waste it. I've been doing all I can to make the most of it… and it looks like you have as well."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What exactly _have_ you been doing since you arrived here? You don't have control over your spirit energy, so you'd be a beacon for Hollows, not to mention unable to keep your spiritual pressure from harming those around you."

Mikoto nodded. "I'll admit, I was at a loss when I got here. The Soul Society… it's so unlike anything the religions practiced across the Shinobi nations teach about when they speak of the afterlife. It might not be Hell, but depending on the part you arrive in… well, calling it 'Heaven' would be a stretch, to put it mildly. I got off easy; I first wound up in South 41. Hardly an ideal spot to land, but it could've been a lot worse."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "South 41 to South 28's quite a journey without Shunpo. How'd you manage it?"

"It wasn't overnight, that's for sure," Mikoto replied, "I was initially taken in by a merchant family. They were very kind to me and offered to let me stay as long as I wanted, and I repaid their generosity by helping out with their business to the best of my abilities. However, it didn't take long for my presence to become a burden. My spiritual energy was higher than theirs, and despite everything I tried I couldn't stop it from harming them. I realized that I would have to leave… and that I couldn't get close to another family like that again. From there, I began to drift. I may no longer have had chakra and had no idea how to control my spirit energy, but I was able to brush up on my taijutsu. At first, I was definitely a bit out of practice, but I managed to regain enough of my former skill that I could look after myself… and a good deal more beside. Ultimately, I got into the bodyguard business, and my jobs gradually took me from South 41 to here."

Itachi looked puzzled. "I'm sure your past experience as a Shinobi served you well in that capacity, but your lack of control over your spiritual pressure would've been a risk to your clients. How did you compensate for that?"

"I picked up a few tricks over the years," she answered, "I learned that my emotions played a role in the episodes where my power flared up. That helped me mitigate it to some degree, but it was no substitute for complete control… something I still lack even now. Despite the vast number of souls in the Rukon District, finding training outside of the Soul Reaper Academy to properly control one's spirit energy is quite difficult."

"Why didn't you apply?" asked Itachi, "Even if your Shinobi skills might've been rusty, you clearly retained enough of them to survive the Rukon District. That would've been more than enough to get you through the entrance exams; I can speak from experience there."

Mikoto sighed. "Believe me, it was tempting. Several times, I almost did, but… I felt like I couldn't yet. I knew the odds were low given just how massive the Rukon District is, but I wanted to find _someone_ from my family first. Not just any Uchiha from the clan, but one of _us_. The most obvious candidate was your father since both of us died the same night, and yet… there was a part of me that desperately hoped it would be _you_ that I found first, Itachi."

Her son was clearly taken aback by that. "Why?"

She put both of her hands over his. "Please, do not interpret this as meaning that I wished for your death. I knew that the only way I would find you here would be if you died, and I wanted you to live for as long as possible before that day came. That being said… I had a feeling that old age wouldn't be what killed you. It was more than just the clan that died that night; I think a significant part of _you_ perished in the Uchiha downfall as well. At that point… well, it was just a matter of the rest of you catching up to what you'd already lost, I suppose. Seeing you here today bears that out."

Itachi nodded. "It took eight years to meet my end, and then another six to find you… but yes."

Mikoto smiled again. "I wish it had been longer, but at the same time… seeing you has made this the happiest day of my afterlife. Goodness, that sounds strange to say, doesn't it?"

She was surprised to actually see him chuckle at that. "Not really. I find that 'strange' and the afterlife go together pretty well. Besides, after six years in the Soul Society I almost find myself forgetting that I'm actually dead."

Mikoto couldn't recall the last time her eldest son had displayed any sort of humor, and it only deepened her joy to see that he seemed to have regained it since passing on. "Yes, I know what you mean! Who knew that the afterlife would end up being so… life-like? I don't sound crazy to you, do I?"

Itachi gave her a small smile. "No more than I sound to myself… mother."

How long had it been since she'd seen him smile? Mikoto genuinely couldn't remember; the harsh facts of life in the Shinobi World had stolen her son's smile all too quickly. She wished that it hadn't taken death for him to reclaim it, but she was grateful to see it now just the same.

She ran her hand down the sleeve his black robe. "Training at the Soul Reaper Academy takes six years, so you must've started shortly after your arrival here. While I was drifting through the Rukon District, you were already applying yourself and training to protect souls from Hollows. Itachi… I'm so _proud_ of you!"

"Thank you," he said, "Truth be told, I had some help. A pair of Soul Reapers saved my life shortly after I arrived here. Both were Captains, and now I'm in one of their divisions. I felt it was the least I could do to repay her, and I don't regret my decision."

Mikoto's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at a key word. " _Her?_ Don't tell me you applied to join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to chase after a _woman_ , Itachi!"

Much to her shock and delight, she had the pleasure of actually seeing her eldest son _blush_. "It's not like that!"

Oh, but he had been _far_ too defensive and hasty in his reply, and Mikoto pounced on it. "You _did_ , didn't you? Oh, Itachi…"

For the first time in a _long_ time, Mikoto began to laugh uncontrollably. She'd heard from Fugaku before the clan's downfall that an Uchiha girl named Izumi seemed to be close to Itachi, but her eldest son hadn't talked about her. Mikoto deeply regretted not asking her son about her, especially since Fugaku had indicated a _particular_ fondness for Itachi on Izumi's part. Now it appeared to be her son chasing after a girl rather than the other way around, and Mikoto was eager to play the traditional role of the teasing mother after having missed her chance the first time around.

"Mother… please," Itachi muttered, looking nervously around the tavern, "You'll draw attention…"

Mikoto managed to reassert some control over herself, but her smile never left her face. "I think the crowd's lively enough that they won't care about a woman laughing, but if you insist. So, what's she like?"

She was afraid that Itachi would clam up, but much to her surprise she saw him smile again. "She's… incredible. It's… well, it's hard to put into words, really."

Mikoto leaned forward. "Well, you're going to have to try. You can't just leave your mother hanging like that! I won't take 'no' for an answer!"

"Any words from me wouldn't do her justice," said Itachi, and the look in his eyes told Mikoto that the gears in his head were running on full steam, "However… I think I have a solution for that."

"What would that be?" asked Mikoto.

Itachi took a deep breath. "Mother… would you like to meet my Captain?"

….

"He's _really_ late," said Soi-Fon, "That's not like him."

Yoruichi shook her head. "No, it's not."

The two of them were sitting in her office, going over the day's reports as was customary before calling it a night. One report was conspicuously missing, though; Itachi's. He was several hours overdue to return from his patrol in South 28, and his prior patrols this week had always wrapped up quite smoothly. Yoruichi knew that he'd been using the relative ease of these early patrols to search for signs of the Uchiha Clan out in the Rukon District, but even so that hadn't impacted his performance before, nor had it caused him to fail to report back to the Squad Two barracks in a timely manner.

"South 28's not a dangerous district," Soi-Fon pointed out, "A patrol there shouldn't delay him like this."

Yoruichi nodded. "Something must've gone wrong. We need to get out there and find him quickly."

"I'll organize the search," said Soi-Fon.

"No," Yoruichi countermanded, "I'll lead it myself."

Her bodyguard's eyes widened slightly. "Lady Yoruichi, are you sure?"

"I was the one that decided he was ready for Rukon District patrols," she replied, "If that decision was a mistake, then it's my responsibility to rectify it."

Privately, though, Yoruichi didn't think it _was_ mistake. Itachi might've been a new Soul Reaper, but he was more than capable of handling anything the inner districts threw at him. Something outside the normal array of potential threats must've reared its head. That was the only possibility that made sense to her, at least.

She had stood up behind her desk and was about to leave the office when the loud and obnoxious voice of her Lieutenant echoed from the other side of the door. "Captain!"

Yoruichi rolled her eyes as she opened the door. "Don't yell, Ōmaeda. You'll wake up half the Seireitei."

"Sorry, Captain," Marenoshin Ōmaeda answered, "but I'm here to report a serious breach in protocol from our Sixteenth Seat!"

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Breach of protocol? What the hell are you talking about?"

"I just saw Sixteenth Seat Uchiha enter the barracks with a Ryoka!" he reported, "I know he's popular with the girls, but he can't just bring a woman from the Rukon District into our division headquarters like this!"

Soi-Fon's eyes widened in shock. "Wait… say that again? Itachi brought a woman back from patrol?"

 _Interesting…_

Eager to defuse the situation and find out what was really going on, Yoruichi brought her subordinate back into line. "Lieutenant, calm down. Just because Itachi's guest is from outside the Seireitei doesn't necessarily make her a Ryoka. In fact, if she's under his supervision and fully cooperating with him, she wouldn't qualify as one in the first place. You _really_ should know that as head of the Patrol Corps."

"But still…" he sputtered weakly, the wind already taken out of his sails, "He can't just…"

"I'll go talk to him and make sure he hasn't forgotten the proper procedures for bringing guests into our barracks," Yoruichi continued, "You're dismissed, Lieutenant. Go finish organizing the late-night patrols and then hit the hay before you give yourself a heart attack."

Not even bothering to stick around for Ōmaeda's reply, Yoruichi Flash Stepped past him with Soi-Fon hot on her heels. It only took a moment for the two of them to reach the central training yard, and their timing was perfect; Itachi had just entered with his guest in tow.

"Who's that?" Soi-Fon muttered, "What the hell is Itachi thinking, doing something like this?"

Yoruichi barely heard her bodyguard; her gaze was riveted on the woman with Itachi. The same raven hair as her Sixteenth Seat, the same onyx eyes… the family resemblance was impossible to miss despite the gender difference, and the same went for her spiritual pressure as well. She carried herself in a much more open and friendlier manner than the normally reserved young man with her, yet Yoruichi was quick to notice that Itachi's demeanor was different now. He seemed to be an awkward combination of nervous and yet relieved, anxious yet in good spirits, and it wasn't hard for Yoruichi to see why.

"Lady Yoruichi?" asked Soi-Fon, looking at her with concern, "Is something wrong? Do you know who Itachi's guest is?"

"We haven't met," she said softly, "but… yeah, I think I know. Soi-Fon, you're dismissed. Go ahead and call it a night; you've put in enough work for today."

Soi-Fon was slightly taken aback by that. "Lady Yoruichi? Are… are you sure?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this. Go get some rest."

Soi-Fon looked back and forth between her Captain and Itachi for a moment before bowing her head. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi. I'll see you in the morning."

She gave Itachi a curt nod and one more look at his guest before leaving. Yoruichi sighed; she didn't like giving Soi-Fon the boot like that, but she also knew that Itachi likely wouldn't want his guest's real identity getting out until he'd had a chance to talk to her.

 _At least I know what happened back then_ , she thought, _I hope that'll help._

She stepped forward and smiled at her Sixteenth Seat. "Glad to see you're in one piece, Itachi. I was actually just about to head out and look for you."

Itachi bowed. "I'm sorry for the delay. I would've reported back sooner, but…"

Yoruichi smirked as she turned her gaze to his guest. "No need to apologize. I think I can fill in the blanks. Why don't the two of you come with me? It'd be better if we talked in private."

Itachi nodded. "Of course."

The woman with him smiled. "Lead the way, Captain Shihōin."

 _She already knows my name_ , she mused, _I wonder how much else Itachi's told her._

They arrived at her office just a couple minutes later, and as soon as the door was shut behind them Yoruichi turned to her subordinate. "Well, Itachi? Care to introduce us?"

"Yes," he replied, "Yoruichi… this is my mother, Mikoto Uchiha. Mother, this is my Captain, Yoruichi Shihōin of Squad Two and the Shihōin Great Noble House."

Mikoto stepped forward and offered her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Shihōin. I'd like to thank you for saving my son's life."

Yoruichi chuckled as she shook her hand. "He's already told you about that night, eh? Should've figured as much. Nice to meet you too, Mikoto. Please, just call me Yoruichi; I don't stand on ceremony with friends."

"I appreciate the sentiment," said Mikoto, "although we've on just met."

Yoruichi shrugged. "True, but your son has become a good friend of mine over the past six years, so family of his gets the same treatment. Besides, he's already told me a bit about you, and I like what I've heard so far."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between her son and Yoruichi. "Really? Itachi, what exactly did you tell her?"

"We should sit down first," Yoruichi cut in, "Trust me, it's for the best."

She gestured to the seats in front of her desk, and the three of them settled in. "Can I get you two anything to drink?"

"We had our fill earlier," said Mikoto, "but thank you… Yoruichi. Forgive me; it'll take some time to get used to referring to you informally."

"Don't worry about it," said Yoruichi before turning to her Sixteenth Seat, "Well, Itachi? I think it'd be more appropriate if you told her than me."

Itachi nodded. "You're right."

He then turned to Mikoto. "She knows, mother… about what happened with the clan. I told her everything."

Mikoto gave a small gasp, but quickly recovered. "Oh… I see."

She then looked at Yoruichi, and the Captain could feel Itachi's mother studying her with fresh interest. It was a rather intriguing sensation, and she found herself surprised by her desire to make a good first impression.

 _ **Hoping the mother of your handsome subordinate likes you?**_ , the spirit of her Zanpakutō teased.

 _Maybe. He's never brought a girl like me home to her before, that's for sure!_

Yoruichi gave Mikoto a warm smile. "Your son's one of the most remarkable men I've ever met. The decisions he's had to make, his devotion to his little brother… Itachi's one hell of a guy, and I'm the luckiest Captain the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to have gotten him in my division. He's owned up to his actions, both good and bad. That says a lot about him. I wish life had been kinder to both of you, but the abilities and skills he gained along the way have made him quite possibly the most promising young Soul Reaper of his generation."

Mikoto nodded and returned her smile. "I'm not surprised. Itachi was a highly gifted Shinobi even at a young age, and it's only natural that his talents have served him well in his transition into the role of a Soul Reaper. As for what happened back then… if he was willing to tell you everything, then that says more about you than you may realize, Yoruichi. I'm grateful that my son had the chance to meet a woman such as yourself, and that you're still willing to have him in your division even knowing what he's done."

Yoruichi turned to Itachi and winked. "Well, it helps that he's also easy on the eyes!"

She had the satisfaction of seeing a brief blush flash across the face of her Sixteenth Seat, and at the same time her words elicited a lighthearted giggle from his mother. Given the tragic history Itachi had with his family, Yoruichi would take it as a win if she could keep the mood easy and relaxed. The last thing she wanted was Itachi's dark past clouding what in her eyes was a very happy reunion, even if that blood-soaked history was impossible to completely ignore.

Mikoto turned to her son and put her hand on his shoulder. "Even at a young age, he was popular with the girls at the Academy. I'm glad I had the chance to see him again today; he's become the handsome man I always knew he'd be."

"Mother…" Itachi murmured, trying and utterly failing to conceal his embarrassment.

 _Oh, this is just too precious!_

Mikoto laughed as she proceeded put her arm around him and pull him into a playful hug. "Oh, come now, Itachi! I never got to have this sort of fun with you back when we were alive. Let me make the most of it!"

"How exactly is this considered fun?" Itachi asked dryly.

Yoruichi giggled. "Play along with her, Itachi! Captain's orders!"

He didn't bother to hide his confusion, but at the same time he did allow for a small smile as his mother whispered in his ear. Yoruichi couldn't quite make out what she said, but the quick flash of red across his face hinted at something good.

 _And here I thought today would be boring…_

As much as she might've wanted for this friendly bit of mother and son bonding to continue, there were a few important matters that had to be dealt with before they could call it a night. "I hate to interrupt, but there are a couple things we need to address here. I'm glad Itachi found you, Mikoto, but now we need to decide what to _do_ with you. I'm all for giving you time to catch up with your son, but the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are a military organization; civilians don't have a place here. Fortunately, we do have some options."

"Actually, I was hoping to discuss my status with you, Yoruichi," said Mikoto, "I had plenty of time to think during my walk with Itachi to your barracks. I didn't bring this up with him earlier because I didn't want to worry him so soon after being reunited with him, but I think now's the opportune moment."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, mother?"

"I don't want to sit back in safety while you risk your life for the sake of the Soul Society," Mikoto replied, and Yoruichi was surprised at the fire in her eyes, "I was far too inactive in your life the first time around, especially once you became a Shinobi. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. Sasuke's still alive, and I'm sure you and I will eventually find Fugaku somewhere out there in Rukon District. Right now, though, I have you back in my life for the first time in fourteen years. If you're going to serve as a member of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and protect souls that were as lost as I once was, then I'm going to do the same. You've already applied your Shinobi skills to your afterlife; I have no excuse not to do that as well."

Itachi's eyes widened ever so slightly. "Mother…"

Mikoto's gaze had already turned away from her son and back to Yoruichi. "I wish to apply to Shin'ō Academy and join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Yoruichi whistled. Of all the twists and turns this night could've taken, this was one she certainly hadn't seen coming.

Itachi was quick to protest. "Mother, you shouldn't. You have a new life here; you can't put it at risk."

Mikoto gave Itachi a firm look. "So, it's all right if _you_ put yourself in danger for the sake of others, but not me? I was a Jōnin before I became your mother, and you've already seen that I've retained at least some of my former experience. I know it's been a long time since I took part in a field mission, but the Academy curriculum lasts six years; that's more than enough time for me to brush up on my skills and then some. Besides, I've gone for too long as it is without refining my control over my spiritual pressure. If I keep it unregulated, I'll only continue to attract Hollows, putting both myself and the people around me in danger. This way, I can kill two birds with one stone."

Itachi shook his head, but whatever argument he had seemed to fail him. "I know, but still…"

Mikoto reached out and caressed his cheek. "Itachi, as your mother, I'm touched by your concern, but I'm not changing my mind about this. I've already told you how proud I am of you for becoming a Soul Reaper, and you'll always have my support. I'm asking now for you to support _my_ decision, Itachi."

Yoruichi could tell just how torn he was. On the one hand, it was quite clear that Itachi was trying to make up for Mikoto's death at his hands fourteen years ago by trying to protect her at all costs. However, at the same time it was also clear just how strongly she felt about this, and the young man's will to fight her wasn't nearly as strong as her determination to see her choice through.

In the end, her Sixteenth Seat relented. "If you really want to go through with this… I have no right to stop you. No after what I did."

Mikoto shook her head. "Itachi, this isn't about what happened that night. This is about the future, both mine and yours."

Itachi nodded. "All right."

Yoruichi leaned forward. "If you really want to apply, I won't stop you. However, you won't be able to do so right away. I'm afraid the next entrance exams are still a couple months away."

"I understand," said Mikoto, "and since I'm a civilian, I know I can't stay in the Squad Two barracks. I'm perfectly content to return to the Rukon District to await the examination date."

Yoruichi smirked. "Hold on, now. Just because you can't remain in the barracks doesn't mean you have to leave the Seireitei altogether. More importantly, I'd rather you not remain idle in the runup to the entrance exams. Itachi passed with flying colors, and I'd like for you to do the same… and I want to give you the leg up that's normally reserved for us nobles."

Mikoto looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Itachi quickly grasped what his Captain was referring to. "Minerva…"

Yoruichi nodded. "Nice to see we're on the same wavelength, Itachi. Mikoto, I'll have a guest room prepared at the barracks for you tonight. Tomorrow morning, an old friend of mine will be here to pick you up and escort you to the Shihōin Clan's Seireitei estate. You'll be staying there until the entrance exams, and you'll be given a head start on your Soul Reaper training. By the time enrollment comes around, you'll be more than ready for the opening tests."

Mikoto's eyes widened. "Yoruichi… I… I don't know what to say…"

Yoruichi smiled. "You don't have to say anything. Just work as hard as your son did when my friend gave him some lessons six years ago, and that'll be enough for me. The moment I met Itachi, I wanted to get him into Squad Two. I guess I've taken a liking to your clan, because I want to get _you_ into my division as well, and I want to give you every edge I can to make that happen."

Mikoto nodded. "In that case… thank you, Yoruichi. If your friend's willing to tutor me, then I'll give everything I have to those lessons."

She then turned to Itachi and smiled. "After all, a mother should learn to follow her son's example when he makes such a good impression on those around him, right?"

Itachi could only give her a small smile in return. "If this is your desire, then I'll support you. As for the tutor Yoruichi has in mind, I think she'll like you."

"I hope the feeling will be mutual," said Mikoto.

"I don't doubt that a bit," said Yoruichi as she stood up, "I'll send out a Hell Butterfly before turning in, so she'll probably be here bright and early. After that, I'll see to your guest room, Mikoto. Itachi, why don't you take her on a quick tour of the barracks while I make the necessary arrangements? By the time you swing back around here, we should have everything taken care of and we can call it a night."

Itachi rose from his seat, and his mother did the same. "Understood. Yoruichi… thank you."

Yoruichi smiled and winked. "Don't mention it. Now, go show your mom around and spend a little more quality time with her. Captain's orders!"

….

 **The next day…**

The chirping of birds and the ring of clashing swords surrounded Itachi as he and his mother made their way through the training yard. After their meeting with Yoruichi, the rest of the evening had passed peacefully, and upon completing his little impromptu tour of the Squad Two barracks for his mother he'd taken her back to his Captain, who had escorted her to the prepared guest room. Once that was done, Itachi had promptly returned to his quarters and passed out; that day had been far more exhausting than he had initially realized.

 _Physically, it was nothing_ , he mused, _but mentally… well, I suppose a level of emotional fatigue would be natural after all that. It was quite worth it, though._

Now, here the two of them were, waiting for the Captain and her tutor to arrive as the rest of the division went through its morning exercises. Scanning the yard, it only took Itachi a moment to find Shisui and Visaelya in the midst of a warmup match.

Her gaze following his, Mikoto gasped when she realized who she was looking at. "Shisui!"

"Want to go say hello?" asked Itachi, "I'm sure Yoruichi and Minerva won't mind a little delay."

Mikoto nodded. "Yes. By the way, who's his sparring partner?"

"Visaelya Drakken, our Eighteenth Seat," Itachi replied, "We were in the same graduating class at the Academy."

"I see," said Mikoto, a small smile appearing on her face, "She seems to be… _enjoying_ their match."

"She's become rather fond of him," said Itachi, "I suppose him saving her life during a mission a few years back might have something to do with it."

Mikoto giggled. "Oh, so she was a damsel in distress and he got to play the hero? I think I see where this is going!"

The two of them approached Squad Two's Eighteenth and Tenth Seats, who brought their match to a close once they caught sight of them. Sheathing his sword, Shisui immediately recognized Itachi's companion.

"No way…" he murmured, "Mikoto…"

Visaelya looked back and forth between Itachi's mother and Shisui, concern and confusion evident in her features. "Shisui? Itachi? Forgive me if this sounds rude, but who is this?"

Shisui didn't answer immediately, instead turning to Itachi. "All the years I spent searching, and you find one just a week after the Captain lets you patrol the Rukon District… what are the odds?"

"I've been trying not to think too hard about that," Itachi quipped dryly.

Shisui chuckled. "Yeah, I can see why."

"It's been too long, Shisui," said Mikoto, "I'm glad to see you're doing well."

Shisui smiled. "Yeah… you too."

"Visaelya," said Itachi, "This is Mikoto Uchiha… my mother. I found her in South 28 last night during my patrol."

Visaelya's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?"

Itachi nodded. "Completely."

Mikoto stepped forward and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Drakken."

"Likewise… Miss Uchiha," she said as she shook her hand, still clearly taken aback by her identity, "Itachi, I'd heard that you were late coming back from patrol last night… I guess this explains why."

"Sorry if I caused either of you any concern," said Itachi.

Shisui shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you made it back in one piece."

Visaelya nodded. "I'm glad that you're safe, and that you managed to find your mother, but… Itachi, I hate to interfere with what must be a happy reunion for you, but you know she can't stay here. Civilians aren't allowed to reside in the barracks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads for an extended period of time."

"Don't worry," Itachi replied, "Yoruichi's offered to host her at her clan estate until the coming Academy entrance exams."

Shisui smirked. "I should've figured something like this would happen. Nice to see the Captain's got a plan."

Visaelya looked stunned. "Wait, she'll be staying at the Shihōin Clan estate? What's the Captain playing at here?"

"Training from a noble tutor to give me an edge in the coming Academy entrance exams," Mikoto answered calmly, "I realize it's unfair to other students, but I'll take any advantage I can get right now. Any Shinobi would."

Visaelya shook her head. "No, it's not that, Miss Uchiha; as a daughter of nobility, I was afforded the same advantage prior to my entry to the Academy. It's just… well, it's almost unheard of for one of the Great Noble Houses to offer such accommodations to someone from the Rukon District. Word about this will spread quickly."

"Let the aristocrats chatter away," came Yoruichi's voice from behind them, "Their gossip is only that, and a small price to pay for getting another Uchiha into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

The four of them turned to face the Captain, and she wasn't alone; Minerva Rawlins was standing with her. The Shihōin Clan family tutor and former Squad Two Lieutenant was already sizing up Mikoto, and Itachi wondered if she would be using his progress under her tutelage as a measuring stick for his mother.

 _I hope I didn't set the bar too high…_

Minerva turned to Yoruichi and smiled. "My, my… it seems that you're becoming a magnet for members of the Uchiha Clan, Lady Yoruichi. First Shisui, then Itachi, and now this…"

Yoruichi smirked. "Given how it's all worked out so far, I'm not complaining!"

"Indeed," said the noble tutor before stepping forward and offering her hand to Itachi's mother, "Mikoto Uchiha? I'm Minerva Rawlins, a retainer and tutor of the Shihōin Clan. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Mikoto smiled. "Same here. I understand you helped out my son a few years back with his training. I'd like to thank you for that."

Minerva's smile grew a little at that. "There's no need for that. Itachi was a joy and a privilege to mentor, even if it was just for a few short weeks. You have a remarkably gifted son, Miss Uchiha."

"Please, just call me Mikoto," his mother replied, "I only hope that I won't fall too short of Itachi's example."

Minerva shook her head. "There's no need to worry. I can already tell from your spirit energy that you have potential. I'll be working you hard over the next couple of months, but by the time the entrance exams roll around I think you'll be more than ready for them."

Mikoto smirked. "I can't wait to get started."

Yoruichi stepped forward and gave Itachi a nod. "A room's already been prepared at the estate for her; everything's been cleared with my family and the household staff. She'll be comfortable and well provided for during her stay, and her safety will be guaranteed. You have my word on that."

"Thank you for this," he said, "I'm in your debt."

Yoruichi smiled. "Hey, don't sweat it. I'm sorry to part you two so soon after your reunion, but you'll be able to see her on your off days; I can arrange to have her escorted here for temporary visits. Feel free to show her around the Seireitei during those occasions. You two have a lot of lost time to make up for."

"And thanks to you, we'll have it," said Mikoto, "Yoruichi… you have no idea what you've done for us."

The Captain shook her head and laughed. "Hey, cut it out with the praise, you're going to make me blush over here! I've got an image to uphold, you know?"

"That's never been one of your priorities in the past, Lady Yoruichi," Minerva gently teased.

Yoruichi folded her arms and shot a mock-glare at her retainer. "You know, I can always recommend to the Head Captain that he recall you to active duty. I could use another experienced officer to help me keep Ōmaeda in his place."

Minerva smirked. "A threat like that's rather unbecoming of the Shihōin Clan princess. What would your parents say if they saw you resorting to such methods?"

Yoruichi's grin was downright predatory. "I'm the head of the Stealth Force, remember? Playing dirty comes as naturally to me as breathing."

Minerva chuckled. "True enough. All right, I suppose I'll take the hint this time around. Mikoto, are you ready? I'd like to run you through some preliminary evaluations once you're settled in to get a feel for your strengths and weaknesses. It'll help me mold the rest of your curriculum to better suit your needs."

Mikoto nodded. "Of course. Please, allow me just a moment."

She turned to Itachi and took him into a warm embrace, one he didn't hesitate to return. "Please, take care of yourself, Itachi. I can't lose you again. Don't do anything reckless out there."

"I can't make any promises," Itachi replied, "You know as well as I do how field missions can go. Still, I'll be careful."

Mikoto smiled as she released him. "Then that's all I can ask. I'll come visit as soon as I'm able to, and I want you to show me your favorite spots in the Seireitei when I do."

Itachi gave her a small smile in return. "I will. Mother… I love you."

"And I love you, my son," she said, looking almost as if she were on the verge of tears again, "I always will, no matter what happens. Never forget that."

She looked at Shisui and Visaelya, giving the former a knowing smirk and wink. "It was good to see you again, Shisui. Watch out for Miss Drakken; you never know when she might need you to save her again!"

Visaelya blushed. "Miss Uchiha!"

Even Shisui seemed to have just a hint of red in his face. "I'll… keep an eye open. Take care, Mikoto. Good luck with your training."

Mikoto glanced at Minerva and nodded. "Thank you. Shall we, Miss Rawlins? I have a lot to learn, and it sounds like I don't have much time to do so."

Minerva smiled. "I think you'll do just fine. If you're Itachi's mother, then I'm sure he's inherited quite a few of his gifts from you. I can't wait to see what you're capable of!"

 **Author's notes** : Ah, after how heavy the previous chapter was, it's nice to have one with mostly happy feels! Yes, there was drama in the reunion, but I wanted to go with an overall lighter tone for this chapter, and I hope I accomplished that.

Fun times are ahead for the next chapter, and just get you drooling in anticipation, I'll drop this tasty little morsel; Sharingan and Shikai are on the horizon!

Hope you liked the chapter. Please review, and I'll see you next time!


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Notes:** Hello there! Sincere apologies for the long wait with this one! I hadn't originally meant for it to take this long, but given that it's now close to Halloween and this chapter does feature a haunted city, I'd say the timing's quite fitting. Not intentional on my part, but a nice little happy accident.

Well, I've got nothing further to say until the post chapter author's notes, so I'll get out of your hair.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Fifteen: Fire and Lightning**

 **A few months later…**

Squaring off against his old friend, his hand hovering over the handle of his Zanpakutō, Itachi gave Shisui a nod. "Ready?"

Squad Two's Tenth Seat smirked, his hand likewise positioned to draw his sword at the drop of a hat. "You really have to ask?"

The two of them then turned to Visaelya, who had her right hand raised. "If you're both prepared, then three… two… one…"

She then dropped her hand in a swift chopping motion. "Begin!"

The two former Shinobi drew their blades so fast that they were little more than twin streaks of silver. The song of clashing steel resoundingly rang out as the two swords met, and both men quickly found themselves in a classic blade lock. Each one pushed against the other, testing their opponent's resolve and looking for an opening.

After a few seconds, Itachi felt Shisui begin to give ground. Another fighter would've pressed the advantage, but Itachi immediately saw it for what it really was; bait. If he pushed forward, he'd overextend himself, and Shisui would gain a quick and easy win. Itachi had no intention of making things easy for his old friend today.

Instead he pulled back and allowed Shisui to go on the offensive. In response, Itachi focused on a tight defense, deflecting incoming blows while minimizing his energy expenditure. All the while, he patiently waited for an opening.

He got one a few moments later when Shisui capped off his sequence of strikes by bringing his sword down hard in a powerful overhand attack. Rather than parry, Itachi sidestepped the blow entirely. Pivoting on his left foot and adding centrifugal force to his counterattack, he whirled around and made a swift horizontal slash. Shisui quickly brought his blade up, but he was only able to manage a last-second block rather than a clean parry.

Now Itachi could go on the offensive, and he did not let this opening go to waste. His assault was swift and efficient, focusing on precise attacks designed to probe his adversary's defenses and gradually pick them apart. He struck from both high and low, doing everything he could to keep Shisui guessing as to what his real target was.

Unfortunately for Itachi, Shisui was hardly a stranger to sparring with him. The two of them knew each other's moves practically as well as their own, and that was knowledge neither would hesitate to take advantage of. As Itachi made a low sweep with his blade, Shisui simply left over it, his sword already raised for an attack. Itachi had to roll to the right to avoid the strike, but in the process, he was forced back on the defensive.

The two of them went back and forth like this for a few minutes, shifting seamlessly between attacking and defending as the situation called for. The years they'd spent training together as Shinobi had given them similar fighting styles, and now that they could spar together as fellow Soul Reapers of Squad Two, they could apply that knowledge to their Zanjutsu. This led to a beautiful sort of symmetry between the two combatants that let them fight each other on almost an instinctive level. Even though they were dueling with real blades, neither was concerned about hurting their opponent; they knew each other too well for that.

Deflecting a diagonal slash from Shisui, Itachi countered with a thrust aimed at his friend's shoulder. His opponent caught the attack and redirected it before following up with a thrust of his own, but Itachi swiftly brought his blade back up into a guard position and returned the favor. Both young men shared a small smile as the duel continued; despite the difference in rank and power, when it came to pure technique, they were evenly matched.

The unspoken rule of the fight was that the Tenth Seat wouldn't employ his Shikai, and Itachi knew that he wouldn't use his Sharingan either since they had Visaelya as an observer. Even had they been fighting privately, though, Itachi was certain that Shisui would keep the duel to one of pure Zanjutsu; the two of them respected each other too much for his friend to take advantage of the fact that he had the Sharingan and Itachi did not in a friendly sparring match like this.

Shisui chuckled as he deflected a slash from Itachi. "Just like old times, right?"

Itachi nodded as he pressed his assault. "Different weapons, but apart from that, yeah."

"You two fought like this often?" asked Visaelya from the sidelines.

"You bet!" Shisui replied as he fell back while fending off Itachi's attacks, "Itachi was my favorite sparring partner back when we were Shinobi!"

"That's because I was the only one who could keep up with you," said Itachi as he shifted to a series of low thrusts aimed at Shisui's legs.

Shisui angled his blade downward, expertly intercepting the strikes without losing his footing. He then swung his blade upwards, forcing Itachi to deflect lest he risk taking a slash on the chest. That gave Shisui the window he needed to reclaim the initiative, and he seized it without hesitation.

The song of clashing steel intensified as they picked up the pace. Itachi could sense the duel building towards its climax, and his eyes darted about as he searched for the slimmest possible opening. The two of them locked blades again, and after a few seconds of pushing back and forth both fighters broke off. They then both charged forward again, and in the blink of an eye the tips of their blades were pointed at each other's throats.

Visaelya stepped forward, and despite her effort to keep an aloof demeanor her eyes had still widened slightly at end result of the duel. "A draw…"

Itachi and Shisui both lowered their swords simultaneously and gave each other a respectful nod. It wasn't a win, but it was still an outcome that Itachi could graciously accept.

"Well done," he said.

Shisui nodded. "Same to you. Want to grab a drink? The lunch rush at that teahouse by the barracks should be over by now."

"Sounds good to me," Itachi answered before turning towards Visaelya, "Want to come along?"

Squad Two's Eighteenth Seat nodded. "Sure. I didn't have any pressing plans today."

Shisui smiled as the three of them headed towards the exit of the training yard. "It was nice of the Captain to align our schedules so the three of us would have the same day off. Too bad your mom's already left for the day, Itachi; you said she likes this place, right?"

Itachi nodded. "She enjoyed it when the two of us went there last week. Unfortunately, she didn't have as much free time today as she did previously; she had to head back to the Academy early in order to get her homework done."

"It sounds like the advanced track hasn't gotten any easier since we graduated," said Visaelya, "I hope your mother is not overwhelmed by the workload."

Itachi shook his head as they passed through the gate of the barracks. "She's all right. It's more just a matter of her getting used to being a student again. After all, her Shinobi Academy days were a long time ago, and the curriculum of Shin'ō Academy is a different beast altogether."

"At least she's off to a good start," said Shisui, "I think she'll do just fine once she properly settles in."

Itachi was certainly hoping so, and all signs so far seemed to point to that being the case. Yoruichi hadn't been proctoring the entrance exams this year, but she had taken part in reviewing the results, and she'd seemed quite happy with how his mother had performed. The training she'd gotten from Minerva in the leadup to the tests had definitely paid off, and now her Academy lessons would further hone and refine her abilities.

The three of them reached the teahouse a few minutes later. Stepping inside, Itachi saw that it was relatively empty; with the lunch rush already wrapped up, business likely wouldn't pick back up until evening rolled around. That wasn't to say that the establishment was _completely_ empty, though, as a certain familiar voice attested to.

"Hey, Itachi!" called Jiraiya, waving from a nearby table, "Fancy seeing you here!"

Visaelya's eyes widened. "Jiraiya? What are _you_ doing here?"

"This teahouse is a bit out of your way," Shisui pointed out, "I'm pretty sure the Squad Eight barracks have similar establishments nearby."

Jiraiya smiled. "What, am I not allowed to swing by and say hello? Come on, join me! I just got the table; it'd be a shame to keep it to myself."

Itachi nodded. "All right, then."

The three of them sat down and ordered their drinks. As the waitress left, Itachi turned back to Jiraiya.

"Did you really come out this way just to visit?" he asked.

Jiraiya chuckled. "And here I thought we were friends! What's with the suspicion?"

"You have to admit that it's unusual," said Visaelya, "Squads Two and Eight don't usually have much to do with each other unless the former's scouting for the latter, and we've engaged in no recent joint operations with your division."

"I'm actually here mostly for Itachi," Jiraiya replied with a mischievous grin, "You see, my division's Captain happened to be the one charged with proctoring this year's entrance exams… and apparently there was a very _interesting_ applicant. Itachi, you wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"Why ask questions that you already know the answer to?" Itachi countered, hardly in the mood for Jiraiya's games.

Squad Eight's Seventeenth Seat laughed. "Man, you _really_ need to lighten up a bit! I would've thought that reuniting with your mother might improve your mood a little. Guess that was too much to ask."

"How did you find out?" asked Itachi, "I know the nobility was gossiping about Yoruichi having her family host her, but she did manage to keep a lid on her real identity."

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "It was Captain Kyōraku, wasn't it? He probably noticed the family resemblance and put it together."

Jiraiya nodded. "You got it. He seemed quite taken with her, and after I got a peek, I can't say I blame him! Your mother's a real beauty, Itachi!"

Itachi shot him a withering glare. "Define 'peek'… and define it _carefully_ , Jiraiya."

Visaelya looked absolutely mortified at the implication. " _Jiraiya!_ Don't tell me you…"

Jiraiya held up his hands in surrender. "Whoa, easy there! It wasn't anything like _that_ , I promise! My Captain asked me to help out with the new student orientation; since I'm a recent graduate myself, he thought it'd be good to for the freshmen to interact with someone who could better relate to them. That's where I met your mother, and believe it or not, _she_ was the one that made the first move! You've got no one to blame but yourself, Itachi; she said you told her that I was a friend of yours, and she wanted to meet me herself."

"I don't think the word 'friend' ever came up in our conversation when I spoke of you," Itachi deadpanned.

Shisui chuckled. "That sounds a bit harsh, Itachi!"

"I'd expect nothing less," said Jiraiya, "Look, don't worry. I know what my reputation is, but I've got some rules. I'm not going to try anything with your mother, Itachi… even though the temptation is _definitely_ there!"

Itachi sighed; Jiraiya's 'research' habits aside, he knew when the Legendary Sannin was being serious. "Did she look like she was doing okay? The two of us have spoken since the entrance exams, but I know she wouldn't want me to worry, so she wouldn't have mentioned if anything was amiss."

Jiraiya smiled. "She looked just fine, Itachi. More than that, even. She was the life of the group while I was there; I think being back in school is making her feel young again! You've got nothing to worry about."

Itachi allowed himself a small smile. "Good… thanks."

Visaelya shot a scowl at Jiraiya. "I'm glad you were able to exercise some restraint, Jiraiya. Should you take leave of that restraint with regards to Miss Uchiha, then you will answer to _me_. Do I make myself clear?"

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Where's this coming from?"

"Just answer me, damn it," Visaelya pressed, although not without briefly glancing at Shisui.

Jiraiya smirked; there was no way his sharp eyes had missed that little cue. "All right, all right. I take your meaning loud and clear, Little Miss Vissy."

Visaelya nodded. "Good."

The waitress returned a moment later with their drinks. Their conversation died down for a few moments as they all took sips, although it picked up again in short order.

"So, how's Squad Eight treating you?" asked Shisui.

Jiraiya smiled. "As good as always. The Captain's the best drinking partner I've had in a while. I don't know if he could take on Tsunade there, but it'd be fun to watch him try!"

"Captain Kyōraku's also a fan of your books, right?" Itachi recalled.

Jiraiya nodded. "Yup. It's made settling in easier, although I do have to deal with him badgering me to hurry up with the next volume. At least he understands the importance of my research!"

Visaelya rolled her eyes. "Given Captain Kyōraku's reputation, that does not surprise me one bit."

"Any progress with your Zanpakutō?" asked Itachi.

"Still haven't gotten the name yet," Jiraiya answered, "I'm not worried about it, though. It'll happen when it happens."

Visaelya nodded. "That's a good attitude to take."

Jiraiya smirked. "I bet the only reason you're agreeing with me is because you don't know the name of yours yet either. Am I right?"

Visaelya lowered her gaze and took a sip of her tea. She didn't say anything, but the gesture was apparently all the Legendary Sannin needed.

"Thought so," he said, "Look, don't overthink it. Just carry on like you normally would. You'll get it sooner or later."

Jiraiya then turned to Itachi. "What about you? That witch of a sword still giving you a headache?"

 _ **Does he**_ **want** _ **me to come out there and beat him within an inch of his life?**_

 _Since I told him you're a woman, he might be hoping for that._

 _ **He should be careful what he wishes for.**_

"I've made some progress," Itachi replied, "I still don't know her name yet, but I don't think it'll be too much longer before that changes. Call it a hunch."

Jiraiya smiled. "Is that so? Glad to hear it!"

The sage then turned to Shisui. "By the way, been meaning to ask; any luck with finding other members of your clan out in the Rukon District apart from Itachi's mother?"

Shisui shook his head. "I'm afraid not, nor have we spotted any signs of other Shinobi clans out there either."

Visaelya raised her eyebrow. "Your conducting a search for fellow Shinobi that might've passed on from your Realm of the Living? Why?"

"It's just a contingency," said Shisui, giving her a reassuring smile, "There are a lot of powerful and potentially dangerous people in the Shinobi World. Since Itachi, Jiraiya and I all were able to develop our spirit energy here after passing on and Mikoto's on track to doing the same, it stands to reason that others would be capable of that as well… and not all of them are as friendly as us."

"Is the Captain aware of this?" asked Visaelya.

"She is," Itachi answered, "As long as our search does not interfere with our primary duties as members of Squad Two, she's given our efforts her blessing."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Is there anything I can do to help? If we find others that are like Miss Uchiha, I'd like to aid them in reaching the safety of the Seireitei and the Academy if they have the aptitude for it."

"That's very kind of you," said Jiraiya, "You don't have to stick your neck out, though. After all, this is something that involves our particular Realm of the Living."

"But it has the potential to impact the Soul Society," Visaelya countered, "Squad Two is charged with scouting and keeping an eye out for potential threats. Even if the former Shinobi we find are friendly rather than hostile, it's still well within our division's jurisdiction to seek them out and assess them."

Shisui gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "I appreciate the offer, but it's all right. This is a private matter, and we have no right to impose it on you."

It was impossible to miss the red that flashed across her face. "Well… I wouldn't consider it to be an imposition. I'd… I'd be happy to help you."

 _ **Help**_ **all** _ **of you, or just Shisui?**_

 _If I had to guess, I'd say the latter._

 _ **Well, well; the boy can learn. Fancy that.**_

Itachi brushed her off; he didn't feel like trading barbs with his Zanpakutō at the moment. "I don't think you realize what you're getting yourself into. Shisui's been conducting this search for years, and he's yet to find any trace of other former Shinobi in the Rukon District. My encounter with my mother was simply a coincidence, albeit a happy one. It will likely be a very long time before we pick up any solid leads on other Shinobi in the Soul Society."

"Haven't you asked your mother about that?" Visaelya countered, "She must've been looking for you and other members of your family over the past fourteen years. Surely, she's found _something_ by now… apart from you, I mean."

Itachi shook his head. "I'm afraid she's had no luck. Given the sheer vastness of the Rukon District, let alone the rest of the Soul Society, that's hardly a surprise. Even over the span of fourteen years, it would simply be impossible for one person to cover anything more than a small fraction of that territory."

Visaelya sighed. "I see. What do you two typically look for when you're out there?"

"Clan signs and secret Shinobi signals, to start with," said Shisui, "Shinobi have all sorts of ways to communicate or send a message without making it obvious to outsiders. A variation of a common emblem, certain written characters displayed in a particular way, the name of an individual establishment; the signs are there if you know how to look for them. Since Itachi, Jiraiya and I were all Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village, we're well-versed in the kinds of signals our former comrades would've used. For Shinobi from other villages, it'd be more difficult for us to discern potential secret signals, but not impossible."

"Could you teach me to do so?" asked Visaelya, "I won't be of much help to you if I don't know what I'm looking for. Besides, I'd… like to learn more about Shinobi culture."

Jiraiya chuckled as his eyes darted back and forth between her and Shisui. "I'm sure you would…"

Visaelya folded her arms and glared at him. "Do you have something to say to me, pervert author?"

"Oh, nothing!" Jiraiya replied, the faux-innocent smile on his face suggesting very much the opposite.

Shisui put a hand on Visaelya's shoulder, eager to play the role of peacekeeper. "Easy there. Look, if you really want to put this on top of your current workload, Itachi and I can give you some lessons on Shinobi. We really would appreciate the help; we just don't want you to feel like you _have_ to do this."

Itachi nodded. "We've tried to keep affairs from our past lives from intruding upon the Soul Society, although that can be a case of easier said than done. If you really do wish to assist us, then we would gratefully welcome your support."

Visaelya smiled. "You two are more than just my comrades; you're my friends. Finding your fellow clansmen and Shinobi is clearly important to you, and I'd be honored if you let me help you."

Shisui smiled. "In that case, welcome aboard!"

"Yes," said Itachi, "and thank you. We won't forget this."

Jiraiya smirked. "Never thought we'd get you involved in Shinobi business. You'd better be ready, because we don't play by the rules of you nobles!"

Visaelya gave him a confident smile. "I'm no longer just a noble; I'm a member of Squad Two. Fighting dirty is in our job description."

 _She's come a long way since our little rivalry back at the Academy_ , Itachi mused, _I wonder what greater exposure to the ways of Shinobi will do to influence her growth._

 _I suppose there's only one way to find out._

….

 **A week later…**

"Thanks for coming so quickly, everyone," said Yoruichi, "Sorry for calling you all in on such short notice; the Head Captain sprung this on me out of the blue in the last meeting."

She was at the head of a long table in a meeting room that was reserved for Squad Two's officers. Given their low ranks of Sixteenth and Eighteenth Seat respectively, Itachi and Visaelya were assigned chairs that were down towards the far end of the table. This would make it a bit difficult to make their voices heard in the meeting, but Itachi was sure that Yoruichi would give the two of them a chance to speak once they caught her attention. Every single officer from Twentieth Seat to Captain was present, and Soi-Fon hovered like a shadow just behind Yoruichi.

 _Even the Lieutenant's here_ , Itachi mused, _Yoruichi usually tries to keep him as busy as possible with his Patrol Corps command and administration duties so he can't interfere with the rest of the division. If he was summoned along with the rest of us, then whatever's going on must be so big that she can't afford to completely sideline him this time._

The organization was simple; even numbered Seats were on the left side of the table, while odd-numbered Seats were on the right. This had the unusual effect of depriving the Lieutenant of his symbolic position as the Captain's right-hand and delivering that role to Third Seat Urahara instead, and Itachi was certain that not only was the gesture deliberate, but that Ōmaeda was too full of himself to notice.

A little way up the table, Itachi caught sight of Shisui. The division's Tenth Seat gave him a friendly smile and nod in acknowledgement, all he could do in such a formal setting. Since he was closer to the Captain and had much greater experience in navigating these meetings than Itachi, the Sixteenth Seat felt it was best to sit back and take his cues from his old friend for the time being.

Itachi watched as Yoruichi turned to her bodyguard. "I think we can get started now. Soi-Fon, if you'd be so kind?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi."

She went to the wall behind the Captain, and Itachi spotted what appeared to be a very long rolled up scroll hanging from it. There was a string attached to it, and when Soi-Fon pulled it the scroll unfurled, revealing a large map of the Soul Society. It was one of the most elaborate such maps that Itachi had seen in his relatively brief time in the afterlife; not only were all of the subdivisions of the Rukon District labeled, but it extended outwards to account for the Principalities of the Five Great Noble Houses and much of The Wild.

Soi-Fon then stepped away from the map, and Yoruichi moved to take her place. Grabbing a long and slender wooden stick that had been leaning against the wall, she used it to gesture at a location to the east, a little more than two-thirds of the way along the main road from the Rukon District to the eastern Principality of the Drakken Clan. From where Itachi was sitting, it appeared to be situated in one of the central passes of the Red Cap Mountains.

He heard Visaelya gasp, and as he glanced at her he saw her face pale ever so slightly. "No way…"

"What is it?" he whispered, less than encouraged by her reaction.

" _Menar Issilaya_ …" she murmured, although it was hard to tell if she was answering Itachi or talking to herself.

Looking back up the table, Itachi realized that Visaelya wasn't the only one who appeared apprehensive. More than a few of the assembled officers exchanged troubled looks, and even the normally easy-going Kisuke seemed rather somber. Wherever Yoruichi was pointing, it clearly wasn't a destination for the faint of heart.

Yoruichi was more than capable of reading the room, and there was no playful smirk or mischievous glint in her eyes here; the Captain was all business, which to Itachi only served to underline the seriousness of their upcoming mission. Whatever the Head Captain had assigned to Squad Two, it clearly wasn't to be taken lightly.

"Judging from the looks on your faces, it seems most of you already know what's here," she said, "For those of you unfamiliar with the east, this is the Luminous Pass… or at least, that's what it was known as back in its heyday. Now it goes by the name most you have probably heard; the Shadow Pass. Here lies what's left of what was once a city of the old kingdom; the ruins of Menar Issilaya, or the Citadel of Moonlight. It's been abandoned for a good few thousand years, and nowadays has the happy little moniker of the Phantom Citadel."

Kisuke gave a bitter chuckle. "Clearly not one of the top vacation destinations in the Soul Society these days."

"That's putting it mildly," Visaelya muttered, still looking a bit rattled.

"What does the Head Captain want with a place like this?" asked Lieutenant Ōmaeda, his typically boastful confidence having taken its leave of him.

"Since the fall of the old kingdom, we've ceded too much of the Soul Society outside the Rukon District and the Principalities to The Wild," Yoruichi replied as she returned the stick to its previous place and moved back to the head of the table, "At the direction of the Central Forty-Six, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads have been charged with establishing a series of outposts, some of which could eventually evolve into large-scale settlements. Squad Two's role in this initiative is to scout out suitable locations, and the Head Captain wants us to start here."

Itachi caught Shisui's eye, and the Tenth Seat then leaned forward to get Yoruichi's attention. "Captain, any chance you could tell those of us who are unfamiliar with the east why this particular location is our starting point?"

Yoruichi nodded, her gaze briefly meeting Itachi's; she'd already figured out that Shisui was acting as an intermediary for him here. "Of course. While the city fell towards the beginning of the last millennium of the old kingdom's reign, rumor is that the citadel itself remains intact. Granted, the source of this rumor is the same as that of its new name; word of mouth from the few terrified survivors of groups that attempted to loot the city itself after its fall, so take that with a big grain of salt."

"And… how did it fall?" asked a nervous female voice.

The source was a rather short and slender young woman sitting to Visaelya's left. With her raven hair tied up in a small bun and her almond eyes wider than usual with worry, Twentieth Seat Aika Hirata was an unusual fit for Squad Two, at least in terms of personality. Shy, sweet and modest, she hardly seemed the type at first glance who would join a division that was known for being the scouts, spies, assassins and jailors of the Soul Society. Having graduated the year before Itachi and Visaelya, she was an intelligent and diligent young woman, and Itachi had soon realized that the only reason she'd remained at the bottom of the seated officer rankings in the division was because of a distinct lack of self-confidence. Hohō and Kidō were her strong points, and while her abilities with Hakuda were decent enough it was her skill in Zanjutsu that was the biggest source of doubt for her. The very act of drawing her sword seemed to be one that filled her with an unusual amount of apprehension, and while Itachi could appreciate a healthy level of respect and fear for their blades given their inherently violent purpose, hers went a bit too far. In the training yard her stance was always shaky, and the few times Itachi had sparred against her it had taken just a few quick exchanges to break through her guard, and that had been with him holding back considerably.

Yoruichi sighed. "That's the thing, Aika; no one knows for sure. The most common guess over the years has been a large-scale surprise attack by Hollows, but honestly, that never really sat right with me. It's plausible, sure, but it wouldn't really explain what's been reported by the few people who have survived heading out there since the attack."

Aika gulped. "What's been… reported?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "That the city remains haunted by its former denizens. If it had been a large Hollow attack, this wouldn't be the case; the inhabitants would've simply been devoured. From what I can tell, the handful of survivors from looting parties or curious bands of explorers spent their time jumping at shadows even during the day, and when night fell… supposedly that's when the _real_ horror began. According to them, vengeful specters emerged and fell upon them, still wielding the armor and weapons of the city's ancient defenders. The citadel tower itself would radiate in the night, and this light was supposedly more terrifying than the attackers themselves. One survivor was so traumatized that the only words out his mouth from that day forward were warnings of the 'phantom lord' that now ruled the citadel, which is where the new name for the city comes from."

Across the table from Itachi, Rija folded her arms; the Fifteenth Seat looked rather skeptical. "How much stock can we put in the ravings of would-be grave robbers?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Hard to say. _Something_ scared them the hell off, though… and whatever it is works on more than just people. Isn't that right, Visaelya?"

Itachi glanced at his friend, who gave their Captain a nod. "That's right, Lady Yoruichi. Since Menar Issilaya isn't too far from the Drakken Clan's Principality, members of my family have ridden their dragons out that way to investigate the ruins from above. They've all reported the same thing; their mounts would not dare descend into the Shadow Pass, regardless of how hard the rider tried to push them. They refused to fly anywhere close to visual range of the Phantom Citadel. Every new generation of the family makes an attempt, and all end the same way. That's why, for us, the Shadow Pass goes by another name; the Pass of Dragons' Fear."

"An apt name," Yoruichi replied, "It's not just dragons who won't approach it, either. Horses stay out, as do any other animal one might use for a mount. In fact, most animal life in general won't go near the pass, and if the would-be looters are to be believed, the few that do will not dare to enter the city. Plants still grow in the area, and a river runs past the city flowing into the east, but that's it."

"And the Head Captain serious expects us to be able to establish an outpost in a place like this?" asked a deep male voice from further up the table.

Sitting across from Shisui, the speaker was Ninth Seat Mindiwo Opolo. A tall, imposing and well-muscled figure, Mindiwo definitely stood out in a crowd. His dark skin was contrasted with a series of bright, swirling crimson tattoos that covered the right side of his face, going down his neck and dominating his upper torso. While definitely intimidating at first glance, Itachi had actually found him to be quite friendly, if a little on the reserved side. He could often be found meditating while off duty, and more than once Itachi had seen birds casually land on his shoulders while he was in a deep trance. One would never guess at his inherently peaceful nature when they saw him fight, though; his Zanjutsu form was disciplined and powerful, a relentless hammer that would methodically beat at an opponent's defenses until he discovered that decisive crack in their protection that would win him the day. His Hakuda was nothing to sneeze at either, and his Hohō skills were definitely a few steps above average. Kidō was his only deficiency, with anything more than simple low-level spells being an immense struggle for him.

"It's hardly ideal," Yoruichi conceded, "Definitely not the first place on my list to scout for a future base, that's for sure. Its supposedly intact infrastructure is probably why the Central Forty-Six wants the Head Captain to consider it. Either way, it's been left alone for far too long. The Head Captain's orders are thus; Squad Two is to mount a thorough scouting expedition of the Shadow Pass and the ruins of Menar Issilaya. We're to determine if the area can be made safe for at least the establishment of an outpost, and if possible, to figure out what actually caused the fall of the city the first time around. If there's still a threat in the area, we have to assess it. We'll eliminate it if it's within our power to do so, and if not, we withdraw and report back to the Head Captain who will see to the matter personally."

Kisuke whistled. "The old man's really serious about this one."

"He's got some pretty heavy pressure coming down from the Central Forty-Six," Yoruichi pointed out, "You know how those geezers are; even two millennia later, surviving remnants of the old kingdom make them nervous. They're probably hoping that we'll find something out there they can use as a pretext to have the Head Captain turn those ruins into ash and charred bits of stone."

Kisuke rolled his eyes. "What a waste."

"If part of our goal is to determine how the city fell thousands of years ago, will this be a joint operation with Squad Twelve?" asked Shisui, "That sort of task falls more in Captain Hikifune's area of expertise than ours."

Yoruichi shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I tried to convince the Head Captain to bring Squad Twelve in on this one, but he's got Kirio working a separate research expedition out west. She'll be unavailable for the next few months at least, and the assignment's tying up quite a bit of her division's resources. The rest are minding the barracks and archives, so we're not going to get any help here. Archaeology's only a secondary objective for us as far as I'm concerned; recon and threat assessment are our top priorities here."

Rija smiled. "So, who's up for this one?"

"The Head Captain was clear; he wants this expedition to be Squad Two's immediate priority," said Yoruichi, "I'll be leading the expedition personally, and most of you here will be tagging along. Lieutenant Ōmaeda, you'll be in charge of things here while I'm gone."

The Lieutenant seemed less than pleased by this development. "What? Captain, this isn't right! I should be out in the field getting glory with the rest of you!"

Yoruichi shot him a withering glare; she was in no mood for games. "Have you forgotten your responsibilities, Lieutenant? As head of the Patrol Corps, internal Seireitei security is _your_ primary mission. If you're no longer up to the duties of your position, then perhaps I should begin considering your _replacement_. What do _you_ think?"

 _That_ was all that was needed to bring Marenoshin back into line. "N-no, Captain! T-that's not necessary! I-I can assure you that I'll maintain our internal patrols according to the highest possible standards in your absence!"

Yoruichi smirked in satisfaction. "Good. I look forward to reading your report upon my return, so make sure you keep things orderly around here. I'll have a few officers assigned to support you in running the barracks, so your workload won't be too severe."

The Lieutenant bowed his head. "Thank you for your generosity, Captain Shihōin!"

 _Thanking her for sidelining him_ , Itachi mused, _Lieutenant Ōmaeda's completely out of his league when it comes to her._

 _ **You're enjoying this, aren't you?**_

 _Are you telling me you're_ not _?_

 _ **Oh, hardly. Seeing an oaf with delusions of grandeur put in his place is always a pleasure.**_

 _That's what I thought._

"We'll be leaving the day after tomorrow," said Yoruichi, "Given the distance involved and all the supplies we'll have to drag along on this trip, not to mention how long we could be in the Shadow Pass once we get there, I'm afraid we'll likely be gone for several months at least. We should be able to supplement our provisions along the way through foraging parties, but once we get to the Shadow Pass, we might not have that option. Make whatever personal preparations you need to quickly. If you're not ready at dawn when the time comes, you're getting left behind."

….

 **Two days later…**

Night had fallen an hour or so ago, and Yoruichi was making one last round through the camp before turning in. Her division had made great progress on the first day of its trip; they were well clear of the Rukon District, having taken the Great East Road at quite a brisk pace considering all the supplies they had with them. Their camp had been established in a clearing off to the right of road, surrounded on three sides by thick woods. Even now, Yoruichi had scouts out there amongst the trees; no one would be catching Squad Two unawares if she could help it.

 _If our progress over the next few weeks mirrors today's, things should go well_ , she thought, _I know the Great East Road was redirected after the fall of Menar Issilaya, but the original sections of the road near the Red Cap Mountains approaching the Shadow Pass should still be usable. Until we reach the mountains, our only concerns should be bandits, Hollows, and the wildlife._

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't concerned. The fall of the Citadel of Moonlight was one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Soul Society, and while she understood the Head Captain's reasons for sending her out to investigate the city and the surrounding region that didn't mean she was thrilled about the assignment. There were far too many unknowns at play for her liking, and even though she intended to scout the Shadow Pass as well as possible before entering the ruins of the city she was still aware that a _lot_ could go wrong.

She needed someone to relax with a bit before calling it a night, someone to help her keep her mind at ease until the time came to actually worry. Normally she'd chill out and chat with Kisuke or Soi-Fon at times like this, but tonight she found herself seeking out someone else; Itachi.

One would've thought that finally understanding his past might mean that some of the mystery and excitement surrounding her Sixteenth Seat would diminish, but Yoruichi hadn't found that to be the case at all. Sure, she knew a hell of a lot more about him than she had before, but that did nothing to lessen her fascination with the young man. In fact, the effect had been quite the opposite; she was more drawn to him now than ever before.

 _He wants to move forward and find a life beyond the shadows of his past_ , she thought with a smile, _and I want him to find that, too. He's been defined by what happened with his clan for so long, but he deserves so much more than to be bound by the chains of that horrible night. Our talk that day loosened those chains; I can feel it. Reuniting with his mother pushed him even further along his new path. Where it'll ultimately take him, I can't say… but I_ very _much want to find out!_

It didn't take too long to find him; he was sitting on a patch of grass at the edge of the camp, his gaze focused down the Great East Road. What was that intriguing mind of his currently preoccupied with? Was he, like her, trying to guess what awaited them in the Shadow Pass far into the east? There was only one way to find out.

"I don't recall putting you on first watch tonight," she said as she approached him.

He looked over his shoulder at her. "My apologies. I'll be turning in soon. I won't be late when my watch comes around."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Don't worry about it. Mind if I join you for a bit?"

Itachi nodded. "Please. Your company is always welcome."

Yoruichi smirked as she sat down next to him. "Is that so? Do you say that to any pretty girl that comes your way?"

Much to her surprise, he actually gave her a small smirk of his own. "Only the ones that know who I really am and what I've done."

Was he actually _flirting_ with her? This was an unusual development, albeit one that Yoruichi was quite welcoming of if it were indeed the case.

"Oh, _really?_ " she purred, "I can't think of too many girls that fit that description. Only two come to mind; me and your mother. I'm not sure how to take that."

"Consider yourself part of a very exclusive club, then," he replied without missing a beat, "Take it however you wish."

Yoruichi giggled. "In that case, I guess that makes me one of the two luckiest women in the Soul Society! I'm pretty happy with that. How is Mikoto doing, anyway? You paid a visit to the Academy yesterday, and I can only think of one reason why."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "I thought I'd slipped away without anyone noticing."

Yoruichi winked. "I've got my eye on you, Itachi! Former Shinobi or not, you can't slip away from Squad Two quite that easily."

Itachi chuckled. "I suppose not. I presume one of the Stealth Forces members you have monitoring the Academy mentioned me?"

Yoruichi nodded. "That's right. When they told me they'd spotted you, I instantly knew what was going on. I _did_ tell you all at the officers' meeting to make whatever personal preparations you needed to, and I guessed that you'd want to say goodbye before departing, especially given how long we'll be gone for."

"I didn't tell her what our mission is," Itachi replied, "I only told her that I'd be out on an extended field assignment. She was worried, but no more so than she had been in the past when I went out on Shinobi missions."

Yoruichi smiled. "I trust you, Itachi; I know you wouldn't reveal sensitive mission information, even to family. I'm glad you took the chance to go see your mother. Has she fully settled into the Academy?"

"Yes," he answered with a small smile of his own, "and she's enjoying it immensely. Learning how to properly wield her power, making new friends… I think she's having the time of her life. Well, afterlife, that is."

"Glad to hear it," she said, "Both of you deserve some happiness after what happened to you. If her studies are going well, so much the better."

Itachi gave her a knowing look. "Should I be looking forward to having my mother as a subordinate in six years' time?"

Yoruichi smirked. "Maybe!"

"I'm all for her joining Squad Two upon graduation," said Itachi, "That being said, is it really a good idea for family members to be commanding each other in such a manner? Wouldn't you be concerned about… well, favoritism?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "With most people, I would. You've handled yourself exceptionally well since coming to my division, so I'm not concerned with your conduct under such circumstances. I suppose my only worry would be that you'd hold her back out of a desire to protect her."

Itachi nodded, apparently deciding that there was no point in hiding his thoughts on the matter from her. "You're right. If I were place in direct command of her… I'd likely be overly cautious."

Yoruichi gave him a pat on the back. "It's because you're determined to keep her safe, especially given what happened fourteen years ago. That's a perfectly normal emotional response, Itachi. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I recognize that," he replied, "but it's also why I _shouldn't_ be allowed to directly command her; I'm emotionally compromised there. I think you understand that as well as I do."

Yoruichi sighed. "No getting around it, I suppose. Ultimately, the division your mother joins depends on the offers she gets at the recruitment exhibition, but based on what I've heard so far, I can pretty much guarantee you that I'll be working hard to get her into Squad Two. Given her desire to make up for lost time with you, it wouldn't be surprising in the least if she accepts the offer I give to her when the time comes. When that happens, I will be placing her under the command of a different officer. I'll do all I can to protect her, Itachi, but I'm not going to completely shield her from risk. If she's truly determined to do her part as a Soul Reaper, then you and I have no right to deny her that."

Itachi nodded somberly. "I understand. This is her decision, and I told her that I'd respect it. Still…"

Yoruichi gave him a warm smile. "Don't worry. I won't ask anything unreasonable of her. As her Captain, it'll be my job to understand her capabilities and assign her roles that best suit them. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that she won't be put into a situation where she won't be able to handle herself."

"That's all I can ask, then," said Itachi, "Thank you, Yoruichi."

She nodded. "Of course. It's the least I can do."

She saw his gaze shift to the east, and his brow furrowed in thought. "I told you that I didn't tell my mother anything sensitive about the mission, but… well, she might've sensed my concern about it. From what you said in the meeting, this sounds like it won't be nearly as simple as the fights with Hollows that we've had in the past."

"No, it won't be," she answered grimly, "It might only be rumor and speculation at this point, but I'm positive it won't be Hollows we'll have to deal with when we reach the ruins of the city."

"That's what's bothering me," Itachi admitted, "Hollows are bad enough. What else is out there?"

Yoruichi closed her eyes for a moment, recalling one of Minerva's old lessons. "There are older and fouler things than Hollows in the realm of spirits, Itachi. The Soul Society is ancient beyond measure, no matter how much the Central Forty-Six likes to gloss over that fact. Hollows are simply one horror that feast upon souls; there are others out there that make them seem as cuddly as kittens in comparison."

"Which of those horrors are we most likely to find in the east?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shook her head. "I don't know. Every possibility that I think of is worse than the last, though."

Itachi nodded. "I see. Perhaps we should tackle this from a different direction. My knowledge regarding Menar Issilaya is sorely lacking. Perhaps you could help me fill in the blanks? If I have a better understanding of where we're going, maybe I can help you figure out what we might face when we arrive."

Yoruichi smiled. "Well, it can't hurt. I'm surprised Visaelya hasn't given you the rundown. I thought she was the type who liked showing off the fruits of the lessons from her family's tutors."

Itachi shook his head. "She's seemed a bit preoccupied ever since the meeting. I think the knowledge of where we're heading is weighing more heavily on her than it is on me."

"That's not too surprising," said Yoruichi, "Given its proximity to her family's Principality, Menar Issilaya and the Drakken Clan share some links. Hell, back in the day when the Shadow Pass was the Luminous Pass it was a vital trade route for them, a key part of the East Salt Way."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "East Salt Way? I thought it was the Great East Road?"

"The 'East Salt Way' is a popular nickname for it," Yoruichi replied, "The Drakken Clan's power might come from their bond with dragons, but much of their _wealth_ is due to their abundant and productive salt mines. It's actually another reason for their rivalry with the Shihōin Clan; our Principality is the only one that can rival theirs in the salt trade. As you might imagine given the demand for luxury foods and the means to preserve them as they're shipped to the Seireitei, the salt market in the Soul Society is _very_ lucrative."

"Is that why Menar Issilaya was initially established?" asked Itachi, "As an outpost and depot supporting the salt trade?"

"That was definitely a major factor," Yoruichi answered, "but there was more to it. Menar Issilaya was founded during the glory days of the old kingdom, and it was one of a series of cities established during that era. Apart from relieving the immense population of the Rukon District, these cities were also meant to serve as points of civilization out in The Wild; safe havens for travelers as they crisscrossed the Soul Society, as well as points from which the old kingdom could project its power. That's why the names of each of these cities began with the word 'Menar'; it's an Andunayan word that translates as either 'citadel' or 'stronghold', with the former being the more widely accepted one. As the word might imply, they were very well defended and fortified."

"Which would offer another reason as to why the Central Forty-Six designated it as the first place for the Head Captain to send us on this outpost initiative," said Itachi, "If the rumors are true and much of the city's overall structure remains intact, then it would be easier to protect once properly garrisoned and provisioned. Even if they'd rather have an excuse for the Head Captain to destroy a remnant of the old kingdom, they can't deny its potential strategic value."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're not wrong there. Anyway, a survey was done of the Luminous Pass, named so because of the unique bioluminescence displayed by much of the flora in that area under the light of the moon. Marble deposits were found, and this resource became the primary building material for the new city. The builders soon discovered that this particular vein of marble captured and brilliantly reflected moonlight, and that's why the completed city became known as Menar Issilaya; Citadel of Moonlight. Although founded primarily for economic and political purposes, word of the city's beauty, especially under the light of the full moon, meant that it quickly became a popular vacation spot and a haven for artists seeking inspiration in its radiance."

"Sounds like quite the place," Itachi commented.

Yoruichi gave a wistful smile. "It was. The city fell long before I was born, but my family maintains a significant art collection, and some of my favorite pieces to look at when I was a child were paintings of Menar Issilaya. Master artists would go to great pains to be there on nights of the full moon, and the works that resulted from their labors are absolutely breathtaking."

Itachi gave her a small smile. "I wouldn't mind the chance to see them sometime."

Yoruichi grinned. "Are you trying to get yourself invited to my family's estate? Itachi, you _are_ a bold one!

A light shade of red briefly flashed across his face at her teasing. "I only meant… if I were ever lucky enough to go there with you."

Yoruichi laughed and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "Oh, Itachi… you are just _way_ too easy to tease, you know that?"

"Something I've noticed you and my mother both enjoy," he murmured.

She put her arm around him. "Hey, now, you gotta let us girls have our fun!"

"Is that an order?" he asked.

She released him, but not before tussling his hair a bit as one final jab. "Call it a friendly suggestion. It'll take you farther than you might think!"

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, "Anyway, back to the city. Since it was close to the Drakken Clan's Principality, did they govern it?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Not directly. They did have some pull in its affairs, but a lord appointed by the High King ultimately called the shots there. That position was made a hereditary one, and the family styled themselves the House of the Moon Tower. They didn't have much influence outside of the city and the Luminous Pass, but they were still nobility nonetheless."

"What's the Moon Tower?" asked Itachi.

"The city was divided into three sections," Yoruichi replied, "They were the Lower City, Middle City, and Upper City. The Upper City was the heart of Menar Issilaya, and its most prominent structure was a great tower that rose over four-hundred meters in height. This was not only the home of the ruling family, but also where most matters of city governance would take place. In the event of siege, the Moon Tower would serve as the command center and final redoubt. Supposedly, there were many relics of the old kingdom stored there at the time of its fall, and its archives were rumored to have one-of-a-kind manuscripts on everything from forging unique and powerful weapons to forbidden spells. Granted, a lot of this is just gossip that became popular after contact was lost."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "And there are no hints whatsoever as to what happened? No evidence of political turmoil, a natural disaster, a new subspecies of Hollows attacking, or anything of that sort?"

Yoruichi sighed. "Not a damn thing. One day, it's business as usual, and the next, silence. Trade caravans plying the East Salt Way entered the city, only to never be seen again. Travel through the pass itself became impossible except on foot, and of the few who tried, even fewer returned alive. The Luminous Pass became the Shadow Pass, with travel being diverted to safer passes to the north and south. Trade for the Drakken Principality took an initial hit, but it recovered once the northern and southern passes got their roads rebuilt and word got out about the new travel routes. Ever since then, the Shadow Pass and Menar Issilaya have been avoided by all but treasure hunters and adventurers with far more greed and guts than brains."

"And yet we're heading out there, so what does that make us?" Itachi pointed out.

"Soul Reapers with a job to do," Yoruichi replied firmly, "Believe me, I don't like this assignment, but we have our orders. At least the Head Captain gave me the discretion to pull out if things look dicey."

Itachi nodded. "For situations like this, there's no shame in withdrawal. If the situation's untenable, better to retreat and live to fight another day. Besides, if the Head Captain has orders to see to things personally if we can't handle it, we'd at least owe it to him to let him know what he'd be walking into."

Yoruichi smiled. "Spoken like a true member of Squad Two. I knew this division would be a good fit for you."

"You weren't wrong," said Itachi, "Do you know anything else about the city or the Shadow Pass?"

"Nothing solid," she admitted, "All I've got from here on out are rumors and whispers."

"That's still better than nothing," he countered, "What are the most prominent ones apart from the specters and 'phantom lord' that you mentioned during the meeting?"

Yoruichi's brow furrowed for a moment as she considered it. "Well, there's that light supposedly radiating from the tower that I mentioned back during the briefing too. I don't know how light could be considered terrifying. There's gotta be more to it than that."

"Maybe it's not 'light at all," Itachi suggested, "It could be some sort of mist or fog emanating from the tower that catches the moonlight; a corruption of the beauty the city was once known for. Maybe that mist has some sort of chemical in it that causes a powerful emotional response, in this case terror."

Yoruichi scratched her chin as she mulled it over. "Maybe. It might be something in the city as a whole, not just the tower. Perhaps some kind of gas deposit that began leaking up from beneath Menar Issilaya?"

Itachi shook his head. "A leak of toxic gas would be a gradual thing, and the inhabitants probably would've noticed something was wrong. It wouldn't explain why the whole city fell silent in less than a day. Some people surely would've managed to get out and report what was happening otherwise."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're right. Another strange rumor that made the rounds was this; survivors from looting parties in the early years after the fall of the city reported that there were no signs of human remains anywhere. Flesh would've rotted away, of course, but bones would've lingered around for a good while longer. Yet they found absolutely no organic remains whatsoever. That bit would line up with a Hollow attack, but all the other strange after-effects don't really fit the mold."

"Could Hollows have come afterwards to scavenge?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi sighed. "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. They only go after 'live' souls. The 'corpses' of souls lose any residual spirit energy pretty quickly, so to Hollows there's no point in eating them; by the time scavengers would've arrived, there would've been nothing remotely appetizing for them to feed on."

"I see," Itachi murmured.

"That actually feeds into another weird rumor," Yoruichi added, "Apparently, Hollows haven't dared enter the city since it fell."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What's the source of this rumor?"

"Supposedly a survivor from a group of bandits," said Yoruichi, "The way the story goes, they'd just robbed a caravan in the east and were so desperate to avoid pursuit from the Drakken Clan that they fled into the Shadow Pass. Unfortunately, they'd gone straight from the frying pan to the fire; a pack of Hollows appeared and immediately fell upon them. The group got torn up pretty badly, and as the remnants fled, they came within sight of Menar Issilaya. Fear of the Hollows overrode any sort of dread that the old city might've inspired, and they ran through the open gate. The way the tale goes, the Hollows withdrew as soon as the bandits were within the city's walls, even though getting over such a dilapidated barrier would've been easy for them. Hell, the 'gate' itself was long-gone; there was just the open archway, no obstacle to entry in sight."

"Interesting," said Itachi, "What happened next?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Those 'specters' I mentioned from the meeting supposedly reared their ugly heads at some point, and the remaining bandits were slaughtered. The sole survivor somehow managed to get out of the Shadow Pass and eventually made it all the way to the Rukon District. The tale ends with him becoming a monk at some remote shrine, meditating on the horrors he faced in the ruins of the old city."

Itachi nodded. "Quite the story."

"Yeah," Yoruichi concurred, "Of course, for all we know, it could just be bullshit. There's not exactly a wealth of evidence behind it. At this point it's really just one more ghost story in an afterlife that has more than its share of them."

Itachi actually chuckled at that. "Ghost stories in the afterlife… and here I thought I'd seen it all."

Yoruichi couldn't help but laugh. "I guess it sounds pretty weird when you word it like that!"

Itachi shook his head. "Weird is something I've been becoming more and more accustomed to since my arrival here. If you'd told me about a 'ghost city' like Menar Issilaya back when I was alive, I would've been skeptical to say the least. Now, though… well, it hardly seems implausible anymore."

"It still doesn't lessen the strangeness that surrounds this particular mission," said Yoruichi, "It'd be one thing if there were just one or two weird rumors about the Shadow Pass and the old city, but so many of them? I don't know what we're walking into, but my gut's telling me that it won't be Hollows we'll have to worry about once we arrive. Of course, we still need to keep an eye out for them just the same."

"Yes," said Itachi, "Whatever lies ahead, our duty remains the same; remain on guard, assess the situation, and watch each other's backs. As long as we keep a cool head and a watchful eye, we'll be able to carry out our mission."

Yoruichi smiled; his calm confidence was just what she needed. "You've got that right. That being said, some sleep definitely wouldn't hurt either. Our journey's only just begun, and I don't want you wearing yourself out by staying up too late every night worrying about what we might be up against. Go get some rest, Itachi."

"Very well, then," he said as he stood up, "As long as you do the same, Yoruichi."

She smirked as she rose alongside him. "I don't think you're in a position to give me orders... but I'll let it slide. Be ready to rise and shine early, Itachi; we've got a long road ahead of us."

….

 **Two weeks later…**

Raising her Zanpakutō, Visaelya nodded at her sparring partner. "Ready, Aika?"

Her fellow Squad Two officer nodded. "Yes."

Visaelya was skeptical. The Twentieth Seat had her blade drawn and had assumed a basic opening stance, but the nervousness in her frame was impossible to miss. The moonlight glistening off the blade only seemed to emphasize the subtle shaking of the sword in her apprehensive grip.

 _She has a year's seniority over me, yet she's still so uncomfortable with her sword_ , she thought, _I know the Captain has her reasons for bringing Aika along, but I'd feel a lot better if I knew she was at least at ease with her weapon._

When she had first joined the division, Visaelya had initially feared that Aika might resent her; after all, Visaelya was entering Squad Two at a higher rank than an officer who had already been under Yoruichi's command for a year longer. Thankfully, that hadn't been the case, and in fact Aika had been very welcoming of her. It was to the point that even though Visaelya had only been in Squad Two now for a handful of months, she almost felt as though the Twentieth Seat was something akin to a little sister for her. She found it hard not like the friendly if shy young woman, and that was part of why she was sparring with her now; she was worried for her and wanted to do her part to make sure she could protect herself.

She turned to Shisui, who was overseeing their training match. The Tenth Seat nodded and raised his right hand.

"All right, then," he said, "Three… two… one… begin!"

The instant he dropped his hand, Visaelya charged forward. She brought her sword down in an overhand strike, but even though she held back a considerable amount of her strength Aika was still barely able to block the attack. The Twentieth Seat attempted to counter, but Visaelya easily parried the strike and pressed the assault. It was all Aika could do to simply block Visaelya's slashes, let alone go on the offensive herself.

 _Perhaps I've been sparring too much with Itachi and Shisui_ , she mused, _I keep using their level of skill as a baseline for evaluating other Soul Reapers that should be close to me in terms of ability, and I forget just how advanced the two of them are in comparison._

Visaelya was naturally competitive and would always strive for victory, but the ease at which she was dominating the fight with Aika meant it wouldn't be a win she could take pleasure in. The purpose of this match wasn't to feed her ego but help the Twentieth Seat, yet Visaelya was at a loss as to how to accomplish that. As the duel went on it was clear that Aika was struggling with more than just defending herself from Visaelya's attacks; the poor girl seemed to be fighting on two fronts, the match itself and an inner struggle with herself.

Shisui seemed to sense as much too, because he stepped in a few moments later. "That's enough. We're not going to get anywhere like this."

Aika looked down in shame. "I'm… I'm sorry."

Visaelya sighed. "Aika… we need to talk. This can't go on. I know you're gifted in Hohō and Kidō, and your Hakuda skills meet this division's standards, but your deficiency in Zanjutsu is a serious concern. It's going to get you killed!"

Aika shook her head. "I've… done all right so far without relying on my sword in battle. The Captain usually has me act as a forward scout or support caster, not a direct fighter."

"That's because she wants you to gain greater confidence in your Zanjutsu before she brings you to the front lines," Shisui countered, "What if the day comes where your back is to the wall and you have no choice but to rely on close-quarters-combat? Hakuda's a valuable skill to have in your arsenal, but your Zanpakutō is by far the most effective weapon against most Hollows that you possess."

"We might not even be fighting Hollows on this mission," Aika pointed out nervously, "You heard the Captain at the meeting; no one knows for sure what led to the fall of Menar Issilaya, and the Captain appears to believe that it's not Hollows. We probably won't encounter any at our destination."

Visaelya folder her arms. "That's naïve and wishful thinking, not to mention careless, and you know it. We must be prepared for all possible enemies at all times, Hollows first and foremost among them. Even if they may not be at our destination, they could still attack us at any moment while we're on the road. Besides, our swords can strike down more than just Hollows, and your Zanjutsu problems would remain a concern regardless of the kind of enemy we are up against."

"We're heading towards a city that not even _dragons_ will dare approach," Shisui added, "I don't know what threats lie in store for us, but I think we'd all feel a bit better about our chances if we could have faith in _everyone's_ combat abilities. We're your comrades, Aika; we'll look out for you and do all we can to save you if trouble arises, but you need to be able to fully take care of yourself. This irrational fear of your Zanpakutō is a fatal weakness that any enemy could exploit. I don't know what your issue with your sword is, but to have such apprehension towards it is to undermine yourself as a Soul Reaper."

"I… I know that," Aika replied softly, "Believe me… I know this is a serious problem, potentially even fatal. I _want_ to get past this, but… it's not that simple."

"Why not?" asked Visaelya as she put her hand on Aika's shoulder, "Aika, _talk_ to us. I could make that an order as your superior officer, as could Shisui, but I'd rather not force it out of you. I want to help you as a friend, but I can only do that if you'll let me."

Shisui smiled. "I know you doubt yourself, but you really do have great potential as a Soul Reaper. I'd like to help you realize it, and so does Visaelya. This isn't just for your safety or that of Squad Two as a whole; I want you to grow as a Soul Reaper and as person. There's clearly an underlying issue here that Visaelya and I don't understand, one that's been haunting you for some time now. Help us comprehend it so we can help _you_ move forward."

Aika's eyes widened ever so slightly. "You two… you really _do_ want to help me, don't you?"

"Of course," Visaelya replied, "Why wouldn't we?"

Aika looked down again. "I'm sorry, I… I'm not used to this. I'm… not good with people. I've only ever had a few friends… you're one of them. It wasn't always this way. I used to be confident, bold… like you, actually."

"Sounds like there's an interesting story here," said Shisui, "Should we sit down?"

Aika shook her head. "No, it's not that long. It's just… I haven't talked about it with anyone. Not even the Captain… although she probably already knows. What happened… it's not entirely a secret… at least, not to the Shihōin Clan."

Visaelya's eyes narrowed. "What role does the Captain's family play here?"

"My clan, the Hirata… they're vassals of the Shihōin Clan," Aika answered, "Not powerful ones; actually, we're pretty far down the hierarchy. We're a small part of the local forces that help protect the Shihōin Clan's Principality, and normally we stay out there… I think I'm the first to actually enter and graduate from the Academy as a proper Soul Reaper."

"Your parents must've been proud when they got the news," said Shisui.

Aika flinched, a gesture Visaelya had not expected. "My mother was… yes."

The fact that she _only_ mentioned her father raised a quiet alarm for Visaelya. "What of your father?"

Aika closed her eyes for a moment, and Visaelya saw a brief tremor pass through her body before she opened them again. "My father's dead… and I'm the one that killed him."

Both Visaelya and Shisui's eyes widened. Of all the answers they could've gotten, _that_ one wasn't what they'd been expecting. The two of them quickly recovered, and Visaelya began to suspect she knew _how_ Aika had killed her father... and how that might be tied to her issues with her sword.

 _Don't jump to conclusions_ , she chided herself, _Aika needs to go at her own pace here, and you need to hear her out._

"What happened?" asked Shisui, his tone remarkably calm and even gentle given what they'd just heard; he was clearly trying to keep this as an informal discussion between friends rather than turn it into an interrogation.

"It was about nine years ago," said Aika, "The Hirata family's position in the Shihōin Principality guard forces mostly revolves around protecting supply shipments. My father would typically command caravan escorts. It wasn't exactly prestigious work, but it was still an important job, one that our clan's taken pride in throughout our history."

Visaelya nodded. "Managing logistics is as crucial to the functioning of the Soul Society as fighting Hollows. Vassal families like yours who take part in such work don't get nearly enough credit and praise."

Aika gave her a faint smile. "That's very kind of you, Visaelya."

The Twentieth Seat sighed before continuing. "As we're charged with protecting supply shipments, our foes tend to be bandits rather than Hollows, so our weapons and tactics are tailored accordingly. Unfortunately, when your foes are human, that means you have a threat to guard against that you typically don't with Hollows; bribery. One day, a caravan my father was charged with protecting was ambushed. It quickly became apparent that the bandits' timing was too perfect, and they had full knowledge of the caravan's defenses. That was when my father's second-in-command, one of his closest friends… attempted to murder him during the confusion of battle. It turned out that he had been paid off by the bandits. My father was wounded, but he survived thanks to the intervention of a loyal guardsman. However, the caravan was ravaged, and the traitor fled with the bandits. When the few survivors reached their destination and word got out as to what had happened… the repercussions were severe."

"Was your father held responsible for the ambush?" asked Shisui.

"Yes and no," Aika replied somberly, "He was cleared of any treason charges himself, but the fact that a subordinate he knew so well had turned traitor without him suspecting a thing reflected poorly on his judgment. It called his command abilities into question, and while the need for people to protect the caravans was such that they couldn't directly remove him from his position, he soon found himself given much more menial duties. The hit to his personal reputation affected him greatly… and he turned to drinking as a result. _Heavy_ drinking."

Visaelya grimaced; she had a feeling she knew where this was going. "I take it your father was a rather… _belligerent_ drunk?"

Aika nodded, shuddering anew as what Visaelya assumed were no doubt horrible memories flashed through her mind. "Yes… it was terrifying. My father had been a passionate man, but he'd always loved my mother and I. That man was now gone, replaced by a bitter, foul and wrathful drunk who would lash out with no provocation whatsoever. We soon lived in utter fear of him, dreading every time he would return home. He'd… beat anyone around him… my mother and I worst of all."

" _Shit…_ " Shisui hissed, "Aika…"

Even a daughter of great privilege like Visaelya could sympathize with the Twentieth Seat. Tales of nobles or vassals taking out a loss of prestige on those closest to them through drinking and violence weren't new to her; even the Drakken Clan wasn't immune to episodes like that, although thankfully Visaelya hadn't experienced any herself. Her parents could be prideful and aloof at times, but they both loved their daughter… or at least, they had the last time she'd spoken to them. Her entry into Squad Two as opposed to Squad Ten had shaken up her bond with her family, to put it mildly.

 _I'll make them understand someday_ , she silently told herself, _I'm sure they won't let the clan give me the cold shoulder forever. We'll reconcile… but that's not important right now. Aika's story's the one that matters here, not yours. Don't insult her by distracting yourself with your own family problems._

"One night…"said Aika, her voice catching in her throat several times as she pressed forward, "it was… even worse than normal. I don't…. don't remember… what set him off. All I can recall from that night… the smell of booze on his breath… the shouting… and my mother, bruised and bleeding. He just wouldn't stop, and… and I knew… that he was going to kill her. I went to his room… grabbed his sword. He didn't even notice when I came back… he was still… still beating my mother. I didn't think, I just… I charged him… and stabbed him through the heart from behind."

Her whole body was trembling, and Visaelya caught sight of the tears that were welling up as she forced herself to relive what was clearly a memory that she wanted nothing more than to banish forever. She didn't consider herself to be given to overly open displays of affection or sympathy, but it was obvious that words alone wouldn't suffice here, not with the kind of pain her friend was suffering. So, she stepped forward, and Aika only had time to briefly look up before Visaelya took her into a gentle embrace.

"Aika," she said softly, "I'm so sorry… I never meant to make you suffer like this."

She was surprised to see Shisui approach and put his hand on Aika's shoulder. "That makes two of us."

Aika shook her head as Visaelya released her. "No, it's… I know you two are just trying to help. It's not your fault… it's mine."

"It is absolutely _not_ ," Visaelya replied firmly, "The fault lies with that horrific excuse of a man that was your father. Whether or not he was unjustly blamed for the treachery of his subordinate and the caravan ambush, he had _no right_ to take out his anger on you and your mother!"

"She's right," said Shisui, "Your father's reaction to his loss of status was one that he had complete control over, and he decided to turn to booze and violence. He brought his end upon himself; you were only doing what you had to in order to save your mother and yourself."

Aika nodded shakily. "I know, but… violent and drunk bastard or not, he was still my father… and I killed him. I still remember his blood dripping from the blade… I remember it every time I hold my Zanpakutō."

The pieces fell into place for Visaelya. "You mentioned earlier that what happened with your father isn't a secret to the Shihōin Clan. The Captain knows, doesn't she?"

"Yes… she does," Aika answered softly, "She told me as much during the recruitment exhibition the year I graduated from the Academy."

Shisui shook his head. "If that's the case, then why didn't she recommend you for the Kidō Corps or Stealth Force instead of taking you into Squad Two? Your skillset would be put to great use in either of those organizations, and you wouldn't have to use a sword. By recruiting you into a division of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, she put you into a position where using a Zanpakutō would be required despite knowing your traumatic history with a sword. I don't understand why the Captain would make such a decision."

"I… I _wanted_ to join Squad Two," said Aika, "The Captain did offer to get me a position in the Stealth Force or recommend me to her friend in the Kidō Corps, but I _wanted_ to be a Soul Reaper… and I still do. Like I said earlier, I'm the first person from the Hirata Clan to become a Soul Reaper. That's _huge_ for my family."

Visaelya sighed. "I know what it means to have a family that you want to bring pride to, but I've learned recently that there's more to it than that. You say you want to be a Soul Reaper, but what about the pain that simply holding the fundamental weapon of a Soul Reaper is bringing you? If your past means that you fear the very weapon you are expected to wield, then it could all too easily lead to your early demise in the field. The Captain must've been aware of this, and I cannot believe she would want you to be on the front lines with such a fatal weakness."

Aika nodded. "I… spoke to the Captain about this during the recruitment exhibition. She had the same concerns that you two do, but she gave me the chance to decide my path forward. I chose the path of the Soul Reaper, even knowing the pain it would bring. I told her that I'd work to move past this fear of my sword. She said that she'd give me time to do so, assignment me to scouting and support roles while I tried to move forward. She even offered to personally assist in my training, but I told her I wanted to do this on my own."

"I can respect that," said Shisui, "but it clearly hasn't worked. I understand the Captain's decision, but a year of this is too long. Even if she's only going to have you in a scouting and support role for this mission too, it's not enough, not with where we're going."

Visaelya concurred. "He's right, Aika. Neither of us expect you to deal with your inner demons overnight, but we need to make some meaningful progress before we reach Menar Issilaya. Otherwise, your fear may be the end of you on this mission."

Shisui folded his arms. "How do you think your mother would feel if you perished because the lingering guilt at killing your father to save her prevented you from fighting with everything you had? I think you _know_ what that would do to her."

Aika shook her head. "That… that's not fair, Tenth Seat Uchiha."

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "We're Squad Two; we don't play fair, remember?"

Visaelya reached out and put a hand on Aika's shoulder. "I know this hurts, but do you know what will be even worse? Perishing in the line of duty and putting your mother through a pain far greater than any she would've suffered at the hands of your father. You took up a sword nine years ago to save your mother's life. If you fall because you remain terrified of the weapon you were forced to use to protect her, in her eyes it will be as if your father had killed _you_ instead of trying to kill _her_. That will _devastate_ her, Aika… to the point that she may choose to follow you into the grave."

Aika shook her head frantically, fresh tears threatening to fall. "No… that's not… she _can't!_ I don't… I don't want her to suffer like she did with father. _Never_ like that again…"

"Then you know what you have to do," said Visaelya firmly, "You have to grow stronger, and that means embracing the same kind of weapon that you used to protect her. Even if you see every sword you ever hold, Zanpakutō or otherwise, as stained with the blood of your father, remember that you are wielding that weapon for the same reason as you did that night; to _protect_ someone. It can be family, friends, comrades, complete strangers, and even yourself. What happened that night was a tragedy, Aika, but your actions weren't wrong. That night, you acted with the same dedication to defend someone that a Soul Reaper is expected to carry within them. That night, you already proved yourself worthy of becoming a Soul Reaper, regardless of your future Academy scores."

Aika's eyes widened. "You… you really think so?"

Visaelya smiled. "Absolutely."

The Twentieth Seat sniffed as she dried her tears on the sleeve of her robe. "Thank you. I… I've never had anyone talk with me like this before. You… you're a good friend, Visaelya. You too… Tenth Seat Uchiha."

Shisui grinned. "Hey, if you really think of us as friends, then just call me Shisui. This was the least we could do for you, Aika. Remember, we _want_ you to grow stronger not just for the sake of Squad Two, but for yourself as well. We'll do whatever we can to help you."

Aika nodded. "I… I understand. If you two are still willing, then… I'd be honored to keep training with you."

"Of course, we're willing," said Visaelya, "However, why don't we call it here for tonight? Reliving your past like that can't have been easy; you should get some rest. We can pick up our sparring again tomorrow night, all right?"

Aika smiled. "Okay. Thanks again… for everything."

Visaelya nodded. "Anytime."

"Go get some sleep," said Shisui, "We'll see you in the morning."

After she headed off to her tent, the Tenth Seat turned to Visaelya, seemingly appraising her with new eyes. "Well… that was interesting. I didn't know you had that sort of thing in you. You did more than I ever could to help her tonight."

Visaelya quickly found herself blushing; why did he have this effect on her? "You're too kind… Shisui. I only did what I thought was right."

Shisui smiled. "I know, and you did _very_ well. You have a great deal of empathy, Visaelya… more than I think you may realize. You might be a daughter of high nobility, but your compassion and sympathy for those born to a lower station burns brightly. I think it's lovely. You're as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside."

If she'd been blushing before, now Visaelya's face felt like it was practically on fire. "Oh… I… I don't… Shisui…"

 _ **My goodness, things are getting steamy in here**_ , the spirit of her Zanpakutō teasingly chimed in.

 _Shut up!_

Shisui raised an eyebrow as he peered at her. "Hey, Visaelya? Are you okay?"

 _Am I_ okay _? After what you just said to me? You can't just talk like that to a girl and not consider what words like that might do to her!_

 _ **So, are you going to spell out to him just what he's doing to you? How your heart races for him like no else before?**_

 _Absolutely not!_

She nodded perhaps too emphatically for her own good. "Ah, yes… yes, I'm okay. I think… I think I'm just a bit tired. I… I should turn in for the night as well."

Shisui gave her a puzzled look, and for a moment Visaelya feared he might press the matter, but he let it go. "All right, then. Well, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow. Sleep well, Visaelya."

 _ **As if you'll be falling asleep anytime soon!**_

 _Not helping!_

The spirit of her sword was right, though. Even after she retreated to her tent and shut the flaps behind her, it was clear that it'd be quite some time before sleep would finally take her. Even after it did…

…her subsequent dreams ensured that the 'steam' from before would not subside quickly.

….

 **A month and a half later…**

Standing at the crest of a small hill, Yoruichi's eyes narrowed as she surveyed the land ahead. "There it is."

The Red Cap Mountains had first become visible a few days ago, which meant that Squad Two's expeditionary force was almost to their destination. The eastern mountain range's features seemed to clash with its name at first glance; the main peaks were always white with snow regardless of the time of year. However, the mountains had earned their name from an illusionary effect of nature. Whenever the light of the setting sun hit the peaks, the white snow would appear crimson, as if the mountains were stained with blood. Right now, it was still late morning, so that spectacular visual effect would unfortunately not be visible for quite some time. Yoruichi didn't particularly mind; the sight she was focused on was not the brilliant peaks of the mountain, but the deep and dark pass that held their ultimate destination.

To say the Shadow Pass was an ominous sight would be a severe understatement. While the sky outside the pass was mostly clear, the pass itself was shrouded in a layer of low-lying clouds so dark and thick that they reminded Yoruichi of volcanic ash. That was a physical impossibility; none of the Red Cap Mountains were active volcanoes to her knowledge, and if they were and one of them was erupting, she certainly would've gotten a scout report on it by now. Yet there they were, appearing to almost smother the pass in darkness and more than helping it earn its name. The transition between light and dark was perhaps most dramatically marked by the river that ran through the pass; its waters shimmered in the morning sunlight outside the pass, but as soon as it passed under the clouds, it became little more than an oily black streak.

The Shadow Pass was unnatural from more than just a physical perspective. As Yoruichi concentrated on the thick clouds shielding it from sunlight, she felt an undercurrent of power running through them. It was subtle and difficult to pick up at first glance, especially from this distance, but it was unmistakable; what she felt was spirit energy. There was a sinister sense of corruption to it, quite unlike anything she had ever felt from a Hollow before.

 _I don't know what the source of that energy is_ , she thought, _but damn if it ain't creepy as hell._

To her right, Kisuke whistled as he took in the view. "We made good time. Our initial travel time estimates didn't have us reaching this point for at least another week or so."

Yoruichi nodded. "Even with all the supplies in tow, we managed a pretty brisk pace. So much the better."

Kisuke smiled. "The newbies kept up pretty well. They've come a long way in a short time, figuratively and literally."

That was certainly true. Yoruichi had been impressed with Itachi and Visaelya's handling of the journey so far; their speed had improved considerably since the expedition out to the Andunayan barrow over a year ago. As much as she might want to praise their progress, though, she had to exercise restraint. Not only were they out in the field, but with so many other officers along for the ride she had to keep from showing an overt amount of favoritism towards her newest subordinates, especially Itachi.

"That they have," she replied, "but the real work starts now."

"You're right," said Kisuke, "How far ahead did you send Soi-Fon?"

"Just to the mouth of the pass for now," Yoruichi answered, peering intently at the open ground between the hill and the pass, "She should be making her way back right about… ah, there she is."

Her bodyguard was like a shadow on the wind as her Shunpo carried her to her Captain. Yoruichi was pleased with her form and pace; Soi-Fon had come so far since those early days when Yoruichi had first taken her under her wing. Now was hardly the time to be admiring the evolution of her subordinate, though. As Soi-Fon came to a stop before her, Yoruichi could tell that her bodyguard was troubled.

"What is it?" she asked her protégé.

"Those clouds," Soi-Fon replied, "You can feel that, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "All the way from here. What was it like up close?"

"Unsettling," Soi-Fon answered, "and like nothing I've ever seen before. I can't be certain, but… from what I could sense, I think the source is the old city."

"Interesting," Kisuke murmured.

"What else did you see?" Yoruichi asked.

"Per your orders, I only went to the mouth of the pass," said Soi-Fon, "The river… it's strange. Outside the pass, it's normal. Inside, though… once it passes beneath the clouds, it becomes foul. Acrid fumes emanate from it, and it has an unnatural chill."

"In other words, it's probably not viable as a source of drinking water," Yoruichi commented, "Did you see any safe sources in the area?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "There's a spring a little way north of the mouth of the pass. The water appears much healthier there. It's relatively easy to access, too."

"Then that's where we'll establish our base camp for this mission," said Yoruichi.

"Will we be going into the pass itself today?" asked Kisuke.

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. After we set up camp, I want everyone to rest up. We need to be at full strength when we enter the pass. We'll start scouting the pass tomorrow morning. The old city's closer to this side of the mountains, so it shouldn't take long for us to find it. No one enters it without my authorization, is that clear?"

Kisuke nodded, all business now that they were on the doorstep of their objective. "Understood."

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon.

"All right, then," said Yoruichi, "Let's get to work."

….

"What do you see?" asked Itachi.

Standing next to him at the very edge of the camp, his Sharingan blazing like a pair of crimson beacons in the night, was Shisui. The two Uchiha had their gazes fixed on the mouth of the Shadow Pass, with Itachi relying on his old friend's gleaming eyes to get a feel for what lay ahead of them.

"Nothing good," Shisui muttered.

Itachi shook his head. "I figured as much. Care to elaborate?"

"The Sharingan's not nearly as good at long range as the Byakugan, you know," Shisui pointed out, "I'd much rather have a Hyūga doing this kind of work than the likes of us."

"Too bad there aren't any Hyūga in Squad Two, or the rest of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads for that matter," said Itachi.

"They're probably scattered across the Rukon District, just like our clan," Shisui replied, "I mean, look how long your mother went before you and her reunited."

"A fair point," Itachi conceded, "You still haven't answered my question, though."

Shisui sighed. "That energy running through the clouds… it's one thing for Soul Reapers like the Captain and the others to sense it, but to actually _perceive_ it the way I can with the Sharingan… this stuff looks _eerie_ , Itachi."

Itachi raised an eyebrow; if it had Shisui spooked, that certainly wasn't a good sign. "What do you mean?"

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "It's hard to put into words. It's spirit energy, but it's twisted, malformed. Like someone poisoned a reservoir, and now those toxins are polluting the surrounding environment."

"Can you see anything within the clouds themselves that could be the source?" asked Itachi.

Shisui shook his head. "No. I think Soi-Fon's earlier report was right; the source has to be the old city… or whatever's _inside_ the city these days."

"I see," said Itachi, his mind already considering what might come next, "Since Yoruichi knows about your restored Sharingan, she'll probably have you take point for the initial scouting of the city."

Shisui nodded. "Sounds about right. That's what I'd do, anyway."

Itachi's brow furrowed. "Don't be reckless."

Shisui smiled. "Hey, where's this coming from? You know I can handle myself. Besides, I've been a Soul Reaper for longer than you have, so I've got a better idea as to what we can run into in the Soul Society."

"Perhaps, but even Yoruichi's on edge about this mission," Itachi reminded him, "I know you're talented, and your powers are more developed than mine, but watch yourself. Whatever we're dealing with here has had the city under its grip for thousands of years now. This is its home turf, so it has the advantage."

"Don't worry," said Shisui, "I'll watch my back."

He deactivated the Sharingan, and not a moment too soon; the two of them heard footsteps approaching, and they saw it was none other than Visaelya. Itachi was briefly concerned that she might've seen Shisui's eyes, but she appeared none the wiser.

"What are you two doing out here?" she asked, "Neither of you are set to be on watch right now. You both might outrank me, but I'm sure I speak for the Captain when I say that you really ought to get some sleep."

Shisui gave her a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Just wanted to scope things out a bit before we get moving tomorrow."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Scope things out? You can't see anything past the entrance of the Shadow Pass from here."

"Forgive us," said Itachi, "Old habits die hard."

A brief look of skepticism crossed her features before quickly fading. "Old habits or otherwise, you _should_ rest up. I don't need either of you yawning while we're on patrol tomorrow, especially in a place like this."

Shisui grinned. "Aw, you really _do_ care!"

There was a quick flash of red in her face before she folded her arms and turned away. "My kindness is not for your amusement! I want to make sure you both perform up to this division's standards while we're in the field."

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle; Visaelya really was a compassionate young woman, but the pride her family had instilled in her meant she sometimes had trouble properly expressing her gentler side. "I assure you that we'll both be well rested when the time comes to carry out our duties tomorrow, Visaelya. There's no need to worry."

Visaelya sighed before nodding. "Well, in that case, I'm turning in. I'll see you both in the morning."

As she departed, Itachi turned back to Shisui. His old friend's gaze had returned to the mouth of the Shadow Pass, and a few seconds later Itachi saw the Sharingan once again flare to life. He found himself wishing dearly that he had regained his as well; he'd feel a lot better about undertaking a mission in a region such as this if he had the Sharingan in his corner.

 _Wishing you had it won't be enough to make it appear_ , he admonished himself, _Shisui has it right now, and you do not. Focus on the abilities and skills you_ do _currently have at your disposal…_

 _…and hope that they'll be enough should you run into trouble._

….

 **The next day…**

The hair on the back of Yoruichi's neck felt like it had been constantly standing on edge ever since they'd entered the Shadow Pass earlier that morning. Soi-Fon and Shisui's initial scouting run had reported nothing but calm up ahead, but both of them hadn't even tried to hide their unease.

Yoruichi could hardly blame them. While the ominous clouds overhead didn't completely shield the Shadow Pass from light, they certainly blocked out most of it. As a result, Squad Two's Captain and her officers found themselves traveling through a dark realm where they had just enough light to see by, but not enough to make the journey any less eerie. The first thing Yoruichi had noticed was the smell; Soi-Fon hadn't been exaggerating about the foulness of the river. It reeked of _death_ , and that wasn't helped by the black wisps emanating from it like tortured fragments of spirits attempting to escape from Hell. As a result, she tried to make sure that her division steered as far away from the river as possible, but there was only so much room to maneuver in the Shadow Pass. The remnants of this part of the Great East Road followed along the north bank of the river, and enough of it was intact that Squad Two could utilize it for ease of travel, although they hewed to the very far edge of it out of their unease regarding the water running alongside it.

The corrupted river and ominous clouds above weren't the only thing that had her division on edge. The plant life in the Shadow Pass wasn't helping matters. It was strange that there could even _be_ a meaningful amount of flora due to most of the sun's light being blocked, but it was there nonetheless. Patches of green dotted the otherwise rocky landscape, yet Yoruichi knew that none of her subordinates would be going near them unless they had to. White flowers bloomed in scattered fields, yet there was a sickly quality to them, with their petals looking like the cloying fingers of a withered hand. There were small clusters of trees with twisted branches that seemed more akin to sinister claws reaching out for victims, and their leaves were an unsettling collection of brown and dark red that looked suspiciously like dried blood.

"To think that this was once a prime part of the East Salt Way," said Kisuke as he idly looked around.

"Its glory days are long behind it," Yoruichi replied grimly.

To her right, Soi-Fon's gaze was constantly darting about as she searched for potential threats. "The city should be just up ahead."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "You and Shisui _did_ follow my orders, right? Neither of you entered the city?"

Soi-Fon shook her head emphatically. "No, we did not. Neither of us would disobey a direct command of yours, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi nodded. "I know. Sorry for doubting you. Shisui can sometimes be a bit too liberal when it comes to taking his own initiative… and sometimes he can drag along even those who'd normally play it by the book. He's rather persuasive like that."

"That's true," said Soi-Fon, "He's normally quite effective, but he's perhaps a little bolder than a member of our division should be. Sometimes I worry about him."

Yoruichi chuckled. "Really? That'll be news to Shisui!"

Soi-Fon sighed. "Please don't tell him I said that, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi winked. "No promises."

 _Shisui's actually the perfect scout for an environment like this_ , she thought, _I know he's already made use of his Sharingan to check the pass out, and he had to limit it in order to keep Soi-Fon from catching on. I should talk to him and Itachi later and see if they'd be comfortable with letting Soi-Fon in on the secret when it comes to those eyes. If she knew about them, Shisui could use them more freely when on scouting missions with her._

This hardly the first time Yoruichi had paired Shisui up with her bodyguard for scout work. Despite their clashing personalities, the two of them were more than capable of cooperation out in the field. In fact, it was remarkable that a Tenth Seat could keep up with Soi-Fon, and in light of what Yoruichi had learned from Itachi it was all too clear that Shisui was severely under-ranked… and that was likely by his own design. His level of ability and skill was probably closer to Soi-Fon's or Kisuke's, meaning she had yet another officer that could function as a pseudo Lieutenant and allow her to work around Ōmaeda. Given that Itachi and Shisui shared the same clan and bloodline, not to mention the fact that Yoruichi was certain her Sixteenth Seat was on the cusp of unlocking his Shikai, she was confident that the former had the same potential as the latter… possibly even more.

Now was hardly the time to be pondering the promising future of a favorite subordinate, though. If she didn't keep her guard up while they were in the Shadow Pass, it would only take one mistake to deprive Itachi and the rest of her contingent of _any_ future.

Yoruichi refused to let that happen.

….

Itachi's travels during his time with the Akatsuki had taken him far and wide across the Shinobi World. He'd seen many strange, exotic, and foreboding lands, and while he knew he'd hardly seen anything close to all of what the world had to offer he liked to think of himself as at least relatively seasoned when it came to experiencing new places. In an afterlife as vast as the Soul Society, such assumptions had already taken a hit thanks to the expedition to the Andunayan barrow over a year ago, but the basic premise had still remained.

At least, it had until he'd entered the Shadow Pass.

He'd been to more than a few dark and gloomy environments, but those had been of a natural darkness; caves, valleys shrouded in mist, deep forests in a moonless night, and more besides. The darkness of the Shadow Pass was most certainly _not_ natural; he didn't need Shisui's analysis from the night before to know that much. The corrupt spirit energy that his old friend had seen in the clouds above with his Sharingan seemed to permeate the very air in the pass itself.

 _This level of environmental corruption is incredible_ , he thought as he looked around, _I'd assumed up until now that spirit energy was like chakra in that it was a force necessary for life, or rather 'afterlife' in the case of the Soul Society. I've seen battlefields in the Shinobi World devastated by attacks with high levels of charka behind them, but nature has always found a way to recover in time. This spirit energy, though… this is different. It's so twisted that it's poisoned nature itself within the Shadow Past._

He turned to Visaelya, who was walking to the left of him. "Have you ever heard of spirit energy doing anything like what we're seeing here?"

Visaelya shuddered as she looked around. "Only in ancient legends. I always thought stories with that kind of evil were just metaphors for what humanity can do to the land that gives us life if we do not properly care for it. Now, though… well, the energy that's tainted this land is far more than metaphorical, that's for sure."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "Spirit energy can be used for good or evil, but even when focused towards ill ends the nature of the energy itself doesn't change. When a criminal uses spirit energy it operates just as spirit energy from the person fighting against that criminal would. The energy itself is not inherently good or evil; it may reflect the emotions of the wielder, but the fundamental energy itself remains… well, _itself_. That's what our teachers at the Academy told us, anyway."

Visaelya nodded. "That they did, but it would seem they were mistaken. The power that permeates this pass… there's genuine _malice_ coursing through it. I can _feel_ it."

"As can I," Itachi replied.

Visaelya shook her head, clearly disturbed by the implications. "I don't understand… how could spirit energy exist that's so hateful and malevolent it can _actually corrupt_ part of the Soul Society? What sort of force can create this and have it taint the world in such a manner?"

"I don't know," Itachi admitted, "The Captain seems to believe that it's not the doing of Hollows, though, and I'm inclined to agree with her."

Visaelya concurred. "So am I. I know that our experience with Hollows is limited, but you and I have seen enough to at least have a baseline understanding of their power. They're ravenous and destructive beasts, and I'm sure that the more evolved ones have powerful emotions beyond simply the desire to feed, but are those emotions capable of fueling the power needed to cause something like this? Perhaps I'm the wrong person to draw any meaningful conclusions here, but somehow I doubt that this was a Hollow's work."

"Whatever our beliefs here may be, they're meaningless without evidence to support them," Itachi pointed out, "When we get to Menar Issilaya, we may find the clues needed to being piecing this puzzle together. We shouldn't make any hasty assumptions."

Visaelya sighed. "I know. Still… this is bothering me way more than a simple Hollow hunt ever would."

Itachi could not argue with her there.

….

Looking across the river, Yoruichi could not help but feel a sense of regret when she saw what awaited her division on the other side. All those beautiful paintings of Menar Issilaya at the height of its glory and prestige that she used to gaze at as a young girl flashed through her mind. How would the artists who had created such lovely works feel if they could see what the once proud and sublime Citadel of Moonlight had become over the millennia?

 _The sorrow of long-gone artists is the least of your concerns right now_ , she thought grimly, _Menar Issilaya is now before you, and you must make your next move._

A long stone bridge connected the remnants of this part of the Great East Road with the old city on the southern bank of the river. Wide and strong, it had withstood the ravages of time and millennia of neglect remarkably well; it was completely intact, more than capable of supporting Squad Two's contingent operating in the Shadow Pass. Tales of the old city had mentioned how the bridge would be lined with stalls brimming with exotic goods while trade caravans flowed in and out of the city itself. At night, the bridge would commonly play host to scenes of celebration and revelry as travelers and residents alike basked in the splendor of Menar Issilaya under brilliant moonlight. Those festive nights were long gone, and all that lined the bridge now were rows of statues in various states of decay and ruin. Meant to commemorate great lords and defenders of the city, they were now all defaced and marred, as if mirroring the corruption that lay ahead.

The first part of Menar Issilaya, the Lower City, spread out just past the end of the bridge. Primarily the area where the city's lower classes would've dwelt, it remained impressive in its own right even after whatever calamity had brought the Citadel of Moonlight to ruin. A thick stone wall was the first line of defense, still standing proud despite the highly visible cracks and fractures that were scattered about its face. The main gate itself had been destroyed long ago, but the archway remained and appeared to be reasonably intact. Great watchtowers had once stood at intervals along the wall, and some were still visible, but they were all in various stages of disrepair. Even while standing on the opposite end of the bridge, Yoruichi could discern their damaged roofs, gloomy windows with missing chunks of stonework around their edges, and in one particular case the eastern half of a tower had completely collapsed in on itself.

 _It's definitely seen better days_ , she mused, _but it's not unsalvageable. On the off chance that we're actually able to locate and cleanse the source of the corruption plaguing the city and the Shadow Pass, I can definitely see this place getting patched up and becoming serviceable again. Of course, the Central Forty-Six would have to allocate considerable resources to make that happen, and given their loathing of the old kingdom it'd be an uphill fight to get them to invest in reconstruction._

To the east, the city suddenly rose sharply in elevation, with a much higher wall and larger watchtowers demarcating a clear divide. This was where the Middle City began. From what Yoruichi had read, this part of Menar Issilaya had been populated by merchants, magistrates and bureaucrats; those who saw to the mundane administrative affairs and business required to keep the city running. Even from across the river, distinct governmental structures such as courthouses were clearly visible, although they'd definitely seen better days. The outline of a large open-air amphitheater was visible in the background, a venue that had once proudly hosted events ranging from philosophical debates to splendid theatrical performances. While not visible from here, some of the paintings Yoruichi had seen depicting the interior of the city had shown a few small parks that she believed were located in the Middle City, along with at least one grand fountain. Like the Lower City, the Middle City had definitely suffered from both the ravages of time and whatever force had depopulated Menar Issilaya in the first place, but there was more than enough infrastructure to serve as a viable foundation should reconstruction prove feasible.

As impressive as the Lower and Middle City were even in a state of ruin, though, they were all eclipsed by the true jewel of Menar Issilaya. Wrapping back around and rising again quite sharply, sitting on a high cliff overlooking the southern bank of the river was the Upper City. Yoruichi's current position was a poor vantage point for viewing the interior of the Upper City, but its most prominent feature was impossible to miss. Rising up like a marble spear threatening to pierce the dark clouds above was the Moon Tower.

Built in a three-tier layout, the Moon Tower had been a marvel of the old kingdom. Constructed with nine sides, the first tier that formed the foundation was naturally the widest, dominating the lower fifth of the structure. The second tier, which was ringed with nine small and slender spires, ascended up yet another fifth or so and offered further stability to the citadel. The remaining three-fifths thrust upward sharply, with the tower gradually growing thinner the higher it rose. This trend reversed itself as one neared the top, with a bulbous lookout room dominating the apex of the building. Even as it was denied any real light to reflect by the ominous clouds itself, it remained an imposing and wonderous sight.

Yet Yoruichi could find no wonder as she looked upon the most distinguishing feature of what had once been a thriving city. Instead her sense of foreboding only increased, for unlike the rest of Menar Issilaya the Moon Tower appeared to be completely intact. There wasn't so much as a single scar on her surface, in sharp contrast to the cracked and decayed state of the walls and watchtowers of the Lower and Middle City. For the rest of the city to have fallen to ruin while the Moon Tower remained pristine was more than just unusual; it was completely unnatural.

 _Nothing about this valley is natural anymore_ , she reminded herself, _but still… out of everything we've seen so far in the Shadow Pass, that tower's unnerving me more than anything else. I've got a_ very _bad feeling about this._

The Moon Tower bothered her on more than just a visual front; Yoruichi could sense that same undercurrent of energy that was coursing through the clouds above flowing just beneath the walls of the tower too. In fact, that energy seemed to be _emanating_ from the tower, supporting her suspicions that whatever fell power held sway over Menar Issilaya was the source of the corruption in the Shadow Pass as a whole.

"Spooky," said Kisuke, standing to her right with his arms folded as he looked out across the river, "Although I can't help but notice that the Moon Tower isn't 'radiating a fell light' like the tales said. That's kind of a letdown."

"That could always change," Yoruichi replied, "We can't take anything for granted out here."

To her left, Soi-Fon nodded. "Agreed. How do you want to proceed, Lady Yoruichi?"

 _Ain't that the million-Kan question_ , she mused, _I've never had a scouting mission quite like this before._

She did have an idea, but it required a bit of delicate handling, especially since it involved a closely guarded secret regarding her Sixteenth and Tenth Seats. In order to put it into action, she first had to make sure her two closest subordinates were occupied with something else.

"Kisuke, Soi-Fon," she said, "I want you two to go below the bridge and make sure there's nothing nasty lurking underneath. If you find anything hostile, don't engage; withdraw and report back to me immediately. Understood?"

The two of them were a bit taken aback by her instructions, and she couldn't blame them. After all, the bridge wasn't really necessary in order for them to cross the river; any veteran Soul Reaper could manipulate particles of spirit energy in order to simply walk across water and even on thin air itself with enough training. Even Itachi and Visaelya, still not even a year out of the Academy, were more than capable of this given the scope of their abilities. Still, the bridge _was_ a potential hiding spot for enemies, so Yoruichi's order was reasonable enough that Kisuke and Soi-Fon didn't protest beyond giving her a brief skeptical look.

"Very well, Lady Yoruichi," said her bodyguard.

"We'll be back soon," Kisuke added.

As the two of them took off, Yoruichi turned and saw Itachi and Shisui standing not too far behind her, their eyes on the city ahead. She gestured for the two of them to join her, and she led them a little way forward so that they'd be out of earshot of the other officers.

"Listen carefully, you two," she said, "Shisui, you're on point for recon here. I want you to go to the entrance of the city and then get up on the wall. Use that as your perimeter and stay on top of it; it should run around most of the city, so follow it and use your Sharingan to get a good first look at what we're dealing with. Itachi, you're going to watch his back. The two of you are _not_ to descend to ground level, you got that? This is just a quick sweep around the city, and I want you two to be able to pull out if something nasty raises its head over there."

The two of them nodded, understanding both the mission and why she had specifically chosen the two of them for it. They betrayed no outward signs of apprehension or fear; they were ready to go.

"Anything in particular you want us to be on the lookout for?" asked Shisui.

Yoruichi sighed. "I can't say for certain. There's any number of potential threats that could be hiding in those ruins. That's why I don't want the two of you entering the city itself just yet. Make one lap around from the top of the wall and then get back here as fast as you can. When we enter the city, we'll do it in force."

"Understood," said Shisui before turning to Itachi. "You ready?"

Itachi nodded. "I'll follow your lead."

Yoruichi smiled. "Be careful, both of you. I want there to be two Uchiha in the welcoming party when the third graduates from the Academy and joins Squad Two, you got that?"

"Of course," Itachi replied, firm resolve in his gaze.

Shisui gave a confident grin, the Sharingan blazing to life in his eyes. "You got it, Captain. Let's move, Itachi!"

With that, the Sixteenth and Tenth Seat took off down the bridge, no more than shadowy blurs. As much as she would've loved to join them, Yoruichi had to hold herself back for the time being. The rest of her contingent still needed orders, and she would have to oversee them until Itachi and Shisui delivered the information that needed for Squad Two to make a proper advance into the city.

 _How we make our next move depends entirely on you two now_ , she thought as she looked out over the bridge, _Itachi, Shisui… good luck._

….

It took them mere moments to cross the bridge, and before they knew it the two Uchiha were at the entrance to the Lower City. Taking it all in with his Sharingan, Shisui leapt to the top of archway overlooking the gaping hole where the main gate of Menar Issilaya had once stood. Itachi was right behind him, and when Shisui paused to examine this portion of the Lower City before proceeding with their sweep in earnest Itachi immediately positioned himself to cover the Tenth Seat's blind spots.

 _We don't even need to communicate verbally to understand each other's moves and intentions_ , thought Shisui, resisting the urge to smile, _Itachi… it's good to be out in the field with you again._

Confident that his back was secure, Shisui took his time to carefully look over what he could see of the Lower City. Behind the cracked and marred walls of Menar Issilaya, the buildings that made up the residences and markets of the commoners were similarly in very rough shape. Some of it was probably due to the simple ravages of time, but Shisui did not fail to notice that a good portion of it appeared to be much more sudden in nature. Great gouges defaced the walls of homes, and while it would be easy to chalk this up to the work of Hollows at first glance Shisui did not believe that was the case here. Granted, the damage was _very_ old, but based on the angles of the gashes and the fact that they appeared to be a bunch of single gouges rather than sets of them like one might expect from claws, Shisui suspected that this damage was actually the work of bladed weapons rather than more feral means.

There were other signs of damage that was much more violent in nature than the slow ravages of time. Some homes had entire sides carved clean off them. Other structures and even parts of the road below were cratered, and faint signs of scorching around the points of impacted suggested a powerful attack was behind this.

 _Incendiary projectiles, perhaps_ , he thought, _although they'd have to be pretty large and have a lot of force behind them to cause damage to the roads like that. Then again, it could've been blasts of spirit energy… high level Kidō spells, maybe?_

It was difficult to say for sure, even with the Sharingan aiding his investigation. The damage was just too old. Shisui was picking up lingering traces of spirit energy, but it was hard to tell if that residue from the attacks themselves or just part of the general ominous energy that pervaded the Shadow Pass. If he had to place a bet, it would be on the latter. That energy in the air had grown even thicker the closer they'd gotten to Menar Issilaya, and now that they were at the gate of the city itself it was almost oppressive in its weight.

His gaze went towards the Moon Tower. Without a doubt, it was the heart of this corruption. The Sharingan was not the Byakugan; it could not pierce the marble walls and see into the core of the citadel. However, it could still pick up the energy emanating from the tower like a sinister mist.

What would Squad Two find when they went inside?

Shisui couldn't even begin to guess at that.

….

If Itachi had been on edge before when Squad Two had been traveling through the Shadow Pass, then his guard was redoubled now that he and Shisui were actually at Menar Issilaya, even if it was just the outer perimeter. He once again cursed the fact that he had not yet awakened his Sharingan; if what Shisui had told him so far about what he was seeing served as an indicator, then whatever dark power had infested this city since its fall was an insidious one indeed. He was thankful for the brisk pace Shisui had set and was quite eager to complete their sweep of the city's perimeter, although he was keenly aware of the fact that as soon as they reported back to Yoruichi they'd then be entering the city and walking the very streets he saw below from his perch atop the surrounding wall.

His mind was racing as he tried to figure out just what they might be dealing with here. The conversation he'd had with Yoruichi the night that the first day of their journey had ended replayed in his head as he sought out any sort of clue to help piece this puzzle together, but he was having little luck. What he'd seen of Menar Issilaya so far certainly pointed towards its fall being of a violent nature, but all the evidence was fragmentary and degraded by neglect and the ravages of time.

Were circumstances different, he might've actually enjoyed a mission like this. He'd seen his share of ruins in the Shinobi World during his travels as a member of the Akatsuki, and Itachi had been intrigued by them. The history of the Shinobi World ran deep, yet it seemed few among the nations, great or otherwise, had done much to study it in-depth. There was so much out there to explore and learn from, and more than once Itachi had found himself wondering what might've been had his life turned out differently. Perhaps he would've had a chance to survey some of those ruins as a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village had the Uchiha Clan and village leadership been on friendlier terms rather than at each other's throats. He could've been a far-ranging scout rather than a double agent, exploring ruins and searching for clues that they might've held regarding Shinobi of ages past rather than spying on his own clan.

 _It might be fun to consider the paths not taken, but it does no good here._

 _ **Indeed**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō chimed in, _**I for one would rather you don't stumble into an ambush because your mind was on exploration rather than conducting a proper scouting mission.**_

 _Agreed._

They'd already taken in most of the Lower City, with the rest to be taken in on the final leg of their circuit once they began working their way back towards the gate. Right now, Shisui and Itachi were wrapping up their scouting of the Middle City, with the Upper City looming ahead of them. Overshadowing all was the Moon Tower, with the Sixteenth Seat experiencing both awe and unease as he looked upon it. Shisui had told him earlier what he could perceive when he looked upon it with the Sharingan, and Itachi's mind flashed back to their conversation from the night before. His friend was right; having a Hyūga along with them on this mission would've been _very_ useful right about now.

The two of them came to a stop atop the domed roof of a watchtower, with Shisui pointing at the entrance of the Upper City. "Check out the gate. Look closely at the sides and the top."

Curious as to what his friend wanted him to see, Itachi's eyes narrowed as he focused on the archway. Most of the gate itself was long gone, but a few twisted metal bars were hanging from the entrance; all that remained of the outermost part of what had likely been a multilayered door.

It took a moment for Itachi to realize what Shisui wanted him to see. "Those bars… some of them look like they're bent _outwards_."

Shisui nodded. "Yeah. Granted, there's only a few of them, and most of the others are so mangled that you can't really glean much from this distance. Still… I don't like it."

"Neither do I," said Itachi as he considered the implications, "Perhaps this city's fall was from internal strife rather than an external threat."

Shisui shook his head. "Maybe, but if it was internal… could the Andunayans themselves really have caused this level of corruption? They had more than their share of powerful spellcasters, but to taint not just the city but the entire pass? I'm having a hard time buying it."

"We might be underestimating them," Itachi countered, "Thanks to the Central Forty-Six, so much knowledge of the old kingdom has been suppressed outside of the Squad Twelve archives and those of the Great Noble Houses that you and I still lack anything close to a comprehensive understanding. For all we know, they could've had spells that were more than capable of causing this kind of long-lasting damage."

"Not exactly a comforting thought," Shisui quipped.

Itachi concurred. "No, it's not. We'd be fools to discount it simply because it makes us uneasy, though."

Shisui gave a weary sigh. "Yeah, I know. Come on, let's keep moving. We've got a Captain waiting for us."

Itachi nodded. "Right."

Descending from their perch atop the tower, the two former Shinobi quickly made their way across what remained of the Middle City's wall. There was a sharp rise as the wall of the Middle City met that of the Upper City, but Itachi and Shisui were able to scale it with ease. The two of them surveyed the Upper City from their new vantage point, and Itachi's apprehension only grew as he analyzed what lay below.

The Moon Tower might've dominated the Upper City, but it wasn't the sole feature. Armories were built into the wall at key points, allowing the defenders easy access to fresh weapons. There were a few homes that would've been lavish elsewhere but appeared downright modest when compared to the citadel that stood not too far from him. A long and broad stone pathway went straight up to the entrance of the Moon Tower, while the rest of the space between the Upper City's defining structure and the surrounding wall was made up of an elaborate courtyard and garden. Compared to the Lower and Middle City, the Upper City was in much better shape. In fact, apart from the remnants of the gate, it looked almost _pristine_.

Scanning his surroundings, Itachi's eyes lingered on the gardens. In a long-abandoned city like this they should've been overgrown and wild, but in fact they were still organized and well-trimmed. Trees lined the walkways in neat rows, hedges and bushes formed small barriers of greenery, and there were even flowers growing in perfectly placed clusters. Itachi hadn't seen the paintings that Yoruichi had told him about, but he would've been tempted to call this a perfect preservation of what the Upper City had probably once looked like millennia ago.

That temptation was dampened by a few key factors, though. The first was the flowers themselves; they were the same pale and sickly kind as those they'd seen along the road as they'd journeyed through the Shadow Pass to Menar Issilaya. Next was the energy in the air, which now felt almost suffocating when compared to what Itachi had sensed mere meters away in the Middle City.

 _These gardens only give the_ illusion _of preservation. The corrupt energy runs_ deep _here, no doubt infecting the soil itself. How could it not when these gardens are so close to the source?_

 _ **And we still do not know**_ **what** _ **that source is, only**_ **where** _ **it is.**_

 _All too true…_

It wasn't just the plant life that seemed frozen in time. Various banners hung from poles scattered throughout the courtyard. Some were flags of the old kingdom itself, consisting of a dark blue base with an intricate pattern of a white nine-pointed star woven into the fabric. Others seemed to be a variant of that banner meant specifically for Menar Issilaya, with a crescent moon appearing above the star and a tower below it. Exposure to the elements combined with the ravages of time should've reduced these banners to mere shreds of fabric, if even that, but these were all perfectly intact. It was just one more sign that something was _very_ off with this city.

A pulse of energy stopped the two of them dead in their tracks. Itachi and Shisui turned towards the Moon Tower, and one didn't need the Byakugan or Sharingan to see what was happening. The citadel had started glowing, giving off a pale blue light. Whatever dark power possessed the Moon Tower had apparently decided to put on a show, although whether it was meant to inspire awe or fear was up for debate. Itachi's money was on the latter.

With this new manifestation of power came another feeling, one that Itachi instantly recognized. All he had to do was glance at Shisui to know that his friend had realized the exact same thing.

They were being watched.

And the watcher was in the Moon Tower.

….

Visaelya paced back and forth, her gaze locked on the old city across the river. She'd been like this since Shisui and Itachi had left, and her apprehension had only intensified when she'd seen the Moon Tower begin to glow.

 _Damn it_ , she thought, _I should be over there with them…_

It was an immature and rash idea, one that the rational part of her mind knew was foolish. A scouting mission like this was one that Shisui and Itachi were perfectly suited for thanks to their experience as former Shinobi. In the time since their encounter with Jiraiya at the teahouse, the Sixteenth and Tenth Seats of Squad Two had been true to their word, beginning their education of Visaelya on Shinobi culture and tactics. She'd found the lessons thus far to be quite fascinating, and they'd given her a greater appreciation for her comrades' abilities and how their background made Squad Two the ideal division for them.

She knew that they could take care of themselves, but that didn't stop her from worrying, especially when it came to Shisui. His greater experience notwithstanding, he struck Visaelya as a bit reckless. He was bold and courageous, qualities that she certainly admired in him, but she feared that they might also drive him to take risks that went beyond the bounds of the mission.

 _ **Trying to be professional and rational with your concern is cute and all**_ , the spirit of her Zanpakutō chimed in, _**but why don't you start being honest with yourself? We both know the**_ **real** _ **reason why you're worried.**_

Visaelya blushed. Sometimes she _really_ didn't like the mental link shared between Soul Reaper and Zanpakutō.

"Not easy being the one left behind, is it?" asked a familiar female voice from behind her.

Visaelya's eyes widened as she turned around and saw her Captain standing there. "Lady Yoruichi! How long have you been there?"

Yoruichi smiled as she stepped forward. "Don't worry, I just got here. Still, you really should've sensed me coming. Looks like you're a bit distracted."

Visaelya shook her head, although the hastiness of the gesture likely didn't convince her Captain. "No, I've just been trying to focus on my task! You did order me to watch the bridge and the city from here while you organized the rest of our detachment, after all."

Yoruichi smirked. "I know the task I gave you… just as I know that you'd much rather be out there with the boys than stuck back here."

Visaelya sighed; there was really no point in hiding it. "Is it really that obvious?"

Yoruichi gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Only because you and I are more alike than you might realize."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Yoruichi nodded as she looked out across the river. "Oh, yes. Where do you think _I_ would rather be right now?"

Visaelya followed Yoruichi's gaze towards the Moon Tower and its pale light, a hint of trepidation creeping into her voice. "Lady Yoruichi… what do you think is happening over there? Shisui… Itachi… are they all right?"

"Close your eyes and focus on the two of them," Yoruichi instructed, "I'll keep watch while you do so. Tell me what you find."

Visaelya did as instructed, reaching out with her spirit energy alone. It took a few seconds, but she was soon able to pick up on two familiar presences across the river. Thanks to the sinister energy radiating from the Moon Tower it was difficult to get a solid lock on their exact location, but she could still sense what she was looking for, and that would be enough for now.

"I can feel them," she said as she opened her eyes, "They're okay… for the moment."

Yoruichi nodded. "Very good. Your detection skills have grown quite well in the short time since your graduation. To pick those two up even through the energy that permeates the Shadow Pass at this distance… you really _are_ a natural for Squad Two."

Visaelya smiled. "Thank you, Lady Yoruichi."

"Anytime," the Captain replied.

The two of them stood there for a few minutes before Visaelya saw Yoruichi's eyes narrow. "They're coming back now."

Visaelya's heart was filled with relief. "Finally…"

A few moments later, she was able to discern the two of them Flash Stepping across the bridge. They reached Visaelya and Yoruichi a few seconds later, both looking grim but otherwise no worse for the wear.

 _At least they're unharmed_ , she thought, _although they don't appear to be in a very good mood._

Yoruichi gave the two of them a nod. "Glad you two made it back one piece. What did you find?"

Shisui jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the Moon Tower. "You mean aside from the obvious?"

"That'd be a good place to start, yes," Yoruichi quipped.

"The Lower and Middle City are damaged, but salvageable," said Itachi, "The foundations remain strong; plenty of good infrastructure there. No signs of recent habitation in those parts, but since we were only looking from the walls and watchtowers rather than down on the streets themselves, we can't know for sure."

"Some of the damage appears battle-related," Shisui added, "and not from clashes with Hollows, either. The defenders fought something else here, and I think it actually used blades instead of claws and fangs. We also saw what looked like blast marks and craters, either from projectiles or spirit energy attacks."

Yoruichi nodded. "I see. Might as well get to the elephant in the room, then. What the hell's going on with the Upper City?"

"Hard to say for sure," Itachi replied, "The remnants of the old gate showed signs of being forced open from the inside, which doesn't exactly bode well. As for the Moon Tower, it didn't begin to glow until we were already atop the walls of the Upper City. That glow corresponded with a noticeable rise in energy output. It's the same power that's corrupted the entire pass, I have no doubt of that."

" _Something_ is in there," said Shisui, "It had its eyes on us the moment we began scouting the Upper City, perhaps even earlier.

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "Any clues as to what that something might be?"

Shisui shook his head. "Sorry. My eyes are good, but they can't see through the tower walls."

Yoruichi scratched her chin in thought. "Of course. You two did well to see so much and report back her so quickly. You'll get a bit of a breather, but not as much as you deserve."

"So, we're entering in force soon, then," said Itachi, a look of firm determination in his eyes, "We'll be ready."

Shisui sighed. "With all due respect, Captain, should we really be doing this? What Itachi and I sensed over there… whatever it is, it's powerful. I know the Central Forty-Six is looking for an excuse to raze this place to the ground, and normally I'm not for playing along with the old geezers any more than you are, but we might want to consider making an exception here."

Visaelya was a bit taken aback. The senior Uchiha almost seemed _afraid_ of going back into Menar Issilaya. Just _what_ kind of power had he felt lurking within the Moon Tower?

Yoruichi nodded. "Believe me, I want nothing more than to pack it in and get the hell out of here. Unfortunately, it won't be enough for us to head back and ask the Head Captain to come out and torch this place just because we've got a bad feeling about whatever's lurking inside the Moon Tower. We need to find out exactly what we're dealing with here. That's our mission, and it's also our responsibility to make sure that we gather enough information so that we're able to properly prepare the Head Captain for what he'll be up against if he has to journey here to demolish Menar Issilaya. That means we're going in whether we like it or not."

"Understood, Captain," Shisui replied with grim resolve.

"When do we make our move?" asked Itachi.

"Twenty minutes," said Yoruichi, practically glaring across the river at the glowing citadel, "You two use every one of those minutes to rest up, because I want you both with us when we enter the city. You'll be our guides, and I want you to make sure we take the quickest route possible to the Upper City. I'll make sure the others are ready, especially Kisuke and Soi-Fon. Whatever's hiding in the Moon Tower isn't going to get any of you guys without one hell of a fight if I have anything to say about it."

….

It had been eerie enough looking at Menar Issilaya from across the bridge, but walking its streets was a whole new level of creepy. As Squad Two's elite made their way through the city, Yoruichi could not help but compare the darkened ruins to the luminous paintings that she had once marveled at long ago.

 _From a thriving center of culture and trade to the black heart of the Shadow Pass_ , she thought ruefully, _Menar Issilaya… how you have fallen._

She was determined to ensure that her division did not share the city's fate. They weren't bothering with a thorough sweep of Menar Issilaya; the primary threat was in the Moon Tower, so they were heading there with haste. Yoruichi did pause a few times to send small groups of Soul Reapers to man some of the more intact watchtowers so they could keep lookout and quickly send word if a threat emerged from the Lower or Middle City, but her top priority was getting to the Upper City and identifying the source of the dark power that was emanating from the Moon Tower.

"This place has definitely seen better days," Kisuke dryly observed.

"That's one way to put it," Soi-Fon quipped as her eyes constantly darted about searching for threats, "It's long past its prime. The Central Forty-Six should've just requested the Head Captain come out right from the start and raze it."

"The Head Captain doesn't take to the field unless it's damn important," Yoruichi reminded her bodyguard, "We still have to get the intel required to prove that it's worth his time. We haven't done that yet. Stay on your toes."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi."

If Yoruichi had thought the old city appeared foreboding from the outside, then that was easily eclipsed by what she felt now that she was within its walls. They passed the remnants of markets that had once thrived with customers but were now silent save for an ill wind. Fountains that had once brimmed with crystal-clear water were now still and murky, with the same foul odor emanating from their waters as that which belonged to the river outside. Abandoned carts were strewn about, the beasts of burden that had once hauled them long gone.

And then there were the weapons. It almost felt like Yoruichi's contingent couldn't go more than a meter or two without practically tripping over some notched and rusted sword or a broken spear-point. Axe-heads bereft of their handles were scattered about, along with chipped arrows and cracked maces. There were no signs of their former wielders save for bits and pieces of armor plating scattered about.

Whatever end Menar Issilaya had met, it clearly had not been a gentle one.

 _Itachi reported signs that the gate of the Upper City might've been forced open from within_ , she recalled, _I_ really _don't like what that might imply…_

As much as she tried to balance her attention and make sure she was keeping an eye out for potential hostiles from any angle, her gaze kept getting drawn towards the Moon Tower. It looked almost like a spire of thawing ice with the pale blue energy radiating from it like an arctic mist. Under other circumstances Yoruichi might've found it to be beautiful, but the dark undercurrent of power flowing from that citadel subverted any pleasure she might take in its appearance.

What in the name of the Soul King could be giving off that kind of power? That was the question now dominating their mission, and Yoruichi was more than apprehensive about finding the answer. She knew her duty, though. The task was before her, and she would see it done.

If there was some consolation in all of this, it was that she had chosen some of her division's best fighters for this mission. It was true that she'd left her Lieutenant behind in the Seireitei, but Yoruichi knew that both Kisuke and Soi-Fon were well beyond Ōmaeda in both skill and strength. At this point she also felt reasonably confident in adding Shisui to that list; now that she was aware of his Sharingan and the fact that he'd been holding himself back all this time in order to keep those special eyes of the Uchiha Clan a secret, Yoruichi was sure that her Tenth Seat's true power was in fact much greater than his current rank suggested.

 _The same goes for Itachi_ , she thought, _and I'm sure that'll be further emphasized once he unlocks both the Sharingan and his Shikai. As it is, his skills are certainly on par with those of higher-ranking officers; his experience from his old Shinobi life gives him a good boost there. His power just needs to catch up to his level of ability and it'll be a whole new game._

Itachi's skills and continuing growth were _very_ promising, but that didn't blind Yoruichi to the present reality. For all his talent, right now he was only the Sixteenth Seat of Squad Two. His spirit energy would no doubt grow dramatically once his Sharingan and Shikai were unlocked, but for the moment it was at a level that roughly corresponded with his current rank. That meant he was actually one of the weaker Squad Two officers inside Menar Issilaya in terms of pure power, which was a serious problem given just how strong whatever was inside the Moon Tower had to be in order to give off the energy currently emanating from the citadel. Itachi could more than hold his own in a fight, but against a being with this kind of power at its disposal he would be vulnerable.

That was why Yoruichi was determined to keep him by her side from now until the mission was complete. He was right behind her at the moment, silently observing Menar Issilaya from the ground level as the group swiftly advanced towards the Upper City. She was glad to see that Itachi's demeanor remained calm and cool even as they inexorably drew closer to the Moon Tower. Any fear or unease he felt remained kept at bay; his level of self-control in such a scenario was all the more remarkable given what Yoruichi now understood of his past. One would be hard-pressed to guess at the trauma that lurked behind those watchful onyx eyes.

 _I know you're brave, Itachi_ , she thought, _but you don't get to pull any foolish stunts on my watch out here. Sending you out on that scouting run with Shisui's as bold as I'll be with your life today. You just found your mother a few months ago, and I want to make sure you two get to make up for lost time and then some._

Was it wrong for her to feel so protective towards one particular subordinate? Yes. After all, as the Captain of Squad Two it was her duty to separate her personal feelings from what their mission required.

Did she regret those feelings? Not one bit. While curious to see where they would ultimately lead, for now Yoruichi knew she would have to remain mindful of them and do what she could to balance them with the needs of the mission. She could at least comfort herself with the knowledge that Itachi wouldn't slow her down in a fight. He might not have her level of power, or that of Kisuke and Soi-Fon, but his talent with the blade was highly advanced for someone of his rank. All those sparring matches with the spirit of his Zanpakutō were serving him _quite_ well.

She had a feeling he'd have to put those skills to the test before the day was done. In what felt like no time at all, her contingent had made it to the entrance of the Upper City. Yoruichi's eyes immediately went to the few scraps of metal that remained of the old gate, swiftly spotting what Itachi had mentioned earlier in his report; the damage _did_ look suspiciously like it had been caused by a force coming from within the Upper City rather than one from outside it. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough of the old gate left to have complete certainty on the matter. Still, it was yet another ominous sign for an already deeply unnerving mission.

The group came to a pause just before the archway as Yoruichi dispatched a pair of Soul Reapers to man another watchtower. Now that the contingent was slimmed down it would be easier for the rest of them to operate in a confined space such as the Moon Tower. It helped that most of them were also her division's top fighters, with some more support-oriented officers thrown in for balance. Yoruichi might not have been looking forward to entering the citadel, but she could at least have confidence in the team she had selected for the job.

Even though they'd yet to actually enter the Upper City, Yoruichi could sense that same presence Itachi and Shisui had told her about. It was watching her and her subordinates even now, and while this was its home turf it almost seemed… wary.

Kisuke seemed to sense it too if the smirk on his face was any indication. "Looks like we've got their attention… and they're not sure if they can take us."

"Don't let your guard down," said Yoruichi, "Whatever's in there might just be waiting for us to make the first move."

"Do we oblige?" asked Soi-Fon, "I hate to think that we might be playing into this thing's hands."

"Perhaps we could draw it out here?" suggested Shisui.

Itachi shook his head. "If it was inclined towards proactive defense it would've made a move against the two of us when we began scouting the Upper City. I don't think it'll engage us until we're inside."

"This reeks of a trap," said Fifteenth Seat Rija.

Yoruichi nodded grimly. "It certainly does."

She closed her eyes, focusing solely on sensing the spirit energy coming from the Moon Tower and tracing it to its exact source. It wasn't easy; the dark power permeated the entire citadel, having had millennia to seep into ever brick and stone that made up the structure. However, after a minute or so she was finally able to track down the highest concentration, and its location took her a bit off guard.

"Below the tower," she said softly, almost talking to herself more than her subordinates, "It's there."

Soi-Fon raised an eyebrow. "Underneath it? Why not at the top where it'd have a commanding view over the city and the Shadow Pass?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "I don't know. All I know is that it's there."

Kisuke nodded. "Good enough for me. How do you want to play this?"

"First thing's first," said Yoruichi, "Let's see if we can get through the front door."

"Are you sure about this, Lady Yoruichi?" asked Soi-Fon, "If it's a trap, we shouldn't be in a hurry to spring it. Perhaps we could approach from another direction?"

"There's not a whole lot of room for subtlety here, Soi-Fon," Yoruichi replied firmly, "There's only one way in or out of the Moon Tower. Look at that courtyard. The vegetation's not thick enough to offer much in the way of real cover, and the path to the front door is completely exposed. Besides, whatever's in there already knows we're here. The tower's got windows that I'm sure we could slip through, but we wouldn't have the element of surprise. It's better that we go in together as a group; we'll have strength in numbers, and we can secure the front door to keep our line of retreat clear."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Very well, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi led her contingent into the Upper City itself. The instant they passed beneath the archway she felt the corrupting energy intensify, and now the sense of hostility and malice running through it was almost screaming at her. Whatever was at the heart of it all _really_ didn't like her, to put it mildly.

 _Tough shit_ , she thought, _I don't care if it thinks I'm the devil incarnate._

They were at the two front doors in moments. They were a massive and imposing sight, with an intricate image of the Moon Tower and a crescent moon engraved upon them. She could sense the weight of the damn thins just by looking at them, but it wasn't the physical doors she was really focusing on; it was the energy that permeated them. After a few seconds of study, though, she determined that it wouldn't be an obstacle.

"So, do we pick the lock?" asked Kisuke.

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. Our presence is already known, so we might as well let whatever's here know that we mean business. Give me some room."

Her subordinates backed up a bit, more than a few of them giving her wary looks. She couldn't blame them; she was about to throw subtlety right out the window.

 _ **I know that look**_ , said the spirit of her Zanpakutō, _**I take it this is where the fun begins?**_

 _Damn right._

 _ **Well, then; let's do this.**_

Yoruichi took a moment to prepare herself before lashing out with a devastating kick. Reinforcing the physical attack with concentrated spirit energy, she succeeded in not only forcing the two doors open but knocking them completely off their hinges and sending them crashing to the ground with a thunderous clamor. Not only did they now have access, but whatever enemy lay in wait no longer had the option of locking them inside the Moon Tower.

"So much for stealth," Kisuke wryly commented.

Soi-Fon's eyes had widened at what she'd just seen. "Lady Yoruichi…"

"Shame to break 'em down like that," Yoruichi quipped, "but we can't have 'em in our way. All right, now. On me, and stay sharp."

She led the way into the Moon Tower, one hand hovering over the handle of her Zanpakutō. There was a brief entrance hall which had a few statues on each side of ancient lords of the city before it quickly opened up into the citadel's cavernous central chamber. A wide circular room with a soaring ceiling and a smooth marble floor, it appeared at first glance to be astonishingly well preserved. At the far end of this greeting chamber were a pair of raised chairs where the lord of the city and his wife would've received guests in bygone glory days. Great tapestries and banners hung from the walls, each one displaying some variant of the city's sigil as well as prominent scenes from Menar Issilaya's history. Numerous doors and open corridors dotted the sides of the chamber, leading towards staircases both ascending the tower and plunging into its depths. The pale light that had been emanating from the outer walls of the Moon Tower also permeated the inside of the citadel, bathing the chamber in an unnerving icy-blue glow.

Shisui whistled as he looked up at the distant ceiling. "Man… the Andunayans really built 'em _big_ back in the day."

"Unbelievable…" Visaelya murmured, her unease seemingly overtaken for the moment by sheer awe.

Yoruichi found it hard to blame her there, but she needed to make sure that her subordinates maintained their focus. They were in the heart of hostile territory now, and they needed to find the source of the energy corrupting Menar Issilaya and the Shadow Pass quickly.

"All right, listen up everyone," she said once she was sure the central chamber was secured, "We're going to sweep this building from top to bottom, and we're going to do it _fast_. I don't want us here a second longer than we have to be."

"No argument there, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon.

Kisuke nodded. "What's the game plan?"

Yoruichi's brow furrowed for a moment as her gaze shifted towards the floor. She wasn't admiring the tiles or anything so mundane; she was focusing on the sinister power that she felt lurking beneath the Moon Tower.

 _I know you think you own this place_ , she silently taunted her mysterious adversary, _but I'm afraid your creepy little kingdom here's about to come crashing down._

"We'll divide our forces," she said, "According to the accounts of this place that I've read, there should be an archive a few levels up from here. Kisuke, I want you to check it out and see if you can find any clues as to what happened here. Rija, Mindiwo, go with him and watch his back."

Her Fifteenth Seat nodded. "Understood, Captain."

"Yes, Captain," said the Ninth Seat

Kisuke smirked. "Reading books in the spooky tower? Sounds fun."

"Don't get too caught up in the material," Yoruichi cautioned him, "Just skim through and see if anything sticks out. A city like this should've had its own scribes and historians. Look for any accounts that might be close to the time period when the city went silent."

"Got it,'" said Kisuke before nodding at his assigned companion, "Let's go."

"Right behind you," Rija replied while Mindiwo simply nodded, his hand hovering over the handle of his Zanpakutō.

Yoruichi turned to her Tenth Seat as her Third, Ninth and Fifteenth left. "Shisui, take Visaelya and Aika with you to the top of the tower."

"What are we looking for?" asked Shisui.

"Potential enemy reinforcements, for starters," Yoruichi answered, "The source of the power corrupting this land might be beneath our feet, but we can't discount the upper levels. There should be an observation room at the apex of the citadel. Make a sweep of the chamber and then survey the lands surrounding the city as far as you can see from that vantage point. Make sure to take the Lower and Middle City into account; just because we didn't run into opposition during our first run through doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be empty. There could be enemies that were waiting for us to pass through so they could then mass and strike us from behind once we were inside the Moon Tower."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that why you posted those other Soul Reapers in the watchtowers as we made our way up here? Sounds a bit redundant, Captain."

"I know, but you'll have a commanding view that none of them can match," Yoruichi countered, "You'll also be able to see if the enemy's marshalling reinforcements in the lands immediately outside the city as well. If you see anything you think might be hostile, get back down here at once, you got that?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes, Captain."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed momentarily as another thought struck her. "Also, while you're up there, check for artifacts. One account of the Moon Tower mentioned an 'eye' of some sort that supposedly aided the city's defenders in watching out for threats. It could've just been referring to an individual stationed in the citadel's observation room, but the wording of the text made it sound like there might be more to it than that. If you see anything out of the ordinary up there, report back at once."

"You got it," said Shisui before turning to his assigned subordinates, "You two ready?"

Aika nodded nervously. "Yes."

Visaelya nodded as well, although with her the gesture carried greater confidence. "Of course."

 _I hope they'll be all right_ , thought Yoruichi as the three of them set off, _Shisui should be more than capable of keeping an eye on the two of them, and at this point Visaelya can hold her own in a fight. I know they've been working with Aika during the journey to improve her skills, even if they've been trying to avoid drawing attention to those extra training sessions. Whether or not those sessions pay off may be decided sooner than any of them might like._

She'd have to place her trust in her Tenth Seat's abilities. With the assignment that she'd saved for herself, Yoruichi knew that she couldn't afford to be distracted.

"Soi-Fon, Itachi," she said, "The two of you are with me. We're going into the lower levels to find the source of the corruption here."

Itachi nodded, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Understood."

Soi-Fon nodded as well, although she did give a brief glance towards Itachi. "Yes, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi had to resist the urge to smile. Soi-Fon might not be willing to admit it, but it was clear she was worried about Itachi. The young man had grown on her since he'd joined Squad Two, and Yoruichi was relieved to see it; it meant that Soi-Fon would be keeping an eye out for him, which meant that Yoruichi would have to devote less focus to that and could concentrate more on leading the way and confronting whatever threat was lurking beneath them.

Before her group could depart, though, there was still one matter for Yoruichi to attend to. "Katya."

A tall woman with a lithe frame stepped forward. Sixth Seat of Squad Two, Katya Sokolova was certainly a head-turner. Her dark brown hair was currently tied up in a pony-tail as was her custom whenever she was in the field, but Yoruichi had seen her off the clock and knew that when allowed to flow free it fell almost to her waist. Her dark green eyes looked almost eerie as they reflected the pale light flowing through the Moon Tower, while her pale skin was almost as light as snow in the citadel's icy radiance. Rather than the standard Soul Reaper robes, she wore the backless version Yoruichi favored, and like Yoruichi her Zanpakutō was a shorter blade in its sealed form. The weapon was worn at her back, with its dark blue hilt wrapping contrasted by a gleaming silver circular guard. A calm and confident woman, she was one of Yoruichi's more versatile officers and a valuable fighter to have along for a mission like this.

"Yes, Captain?" she said.

"You and the rest of the group will remain here," Yoruichi replied, "I'll be counting on you to keep our line of retreat open."

Katya nodded. "Understood."

Yoruichi then turned back to Itachi and Soi-Fon. "All right, you two. Let's get moving."

….

It didn't take long for Kisuke and his group to find the archives of the Moon Tower. Sure, there'd been plenty of stairs, but those had really just been to get around the huge hollow space that the entrance chamber carved out of the citadel. One they were past that, they'd discovered the archives on the next actually livable 'floor' of the structure. Posting Mindiwo near the entrance to keep their escape route clear while having Rija accompany him, Kisuke surveyed the room as he tried to figure out where to start. He'd seen bigger libraries in his time, but the archives of the Moon Tower were still impressive in their own right. Row upon row of shelves with dusty old books and scrolls dominated the room, with only a few small spaces with chairs and tables set aside for reading.

"The Captain wants us to find clues about the city's fall _here?_ " Rija asked incredulously as she looked around, "She might as well be asking us to find a needle in a haystack."

"Not quite," Kisuke countered as he skimmed over the shelves, "There are ways to narrow things down."

Rija raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You let me worry about that," Kisuke answered, "For now, focus on watching my back. You never know what could be lurking in a place like this."

Rija nodded, her eyes narrowing. "You're right about that."

Any library worthy of the title would have some form of organizational system, and that was what Kisuke was looking for. It didn't take him long to find it, either; there were little brass plates bolted to the sides of the shelves, each one engraved with the script of the old kingdom. Kisuke's long hours of private research into the spells of the old kingdom had necessitated learning both generic and High Andunayan so he could properly translate the material, and that was serving him well now.

Sure enough, the archives had a very conventional order to them. The arts, mathematics, ancient myths, history; everything was clearly labeled if one could read the script of the old kingdom. The trick for Kisuke now was now narrowing things down to the specific written records of Menar Issilaya itself. Perhaps counterintuitively, the history section itself wasn't fertile ground for such material; Kisuke soon found that the books and scrolls there were focused more on broad affairs like battles and the history of the old kingdom as a whole rather than contemporary day-to-day life in the city. He needed to find material that was much narrower in scope, likely featuring more administrative content.

"No luck?" asked Rija as Kisuke pulled away from the shelf he'd been examining.

Kisuke shook his head. "This is just the general library. If Menar Issilaya operated under similar lines as other Andunayan cities, then the chief librarian would've also been charged with maintaining records pertaining to day-to-day functions. He or she would've had assigned scribes to take notes for the ruler's meetings, keep accounts of the city's supplies, manage major transactions, and other such matters. The material here isn't that specialized, and this isn't the sort of space where they'd keep what we're looking for."

Rija's brow furrowed in thought. "So, what's our next move? Head back downstairs and start from square one? Seems a bit too early to throw our hands up in defeat."

"We haven't failed yet," Kisuke replied as he looked around, "There should be an office or private records room of some kind up here. Whoever maintained the archives likely would've kept and organized administrative documents there. Let's fan out and sweep this area. Make note of any side rooms you find. We'll meet back here when we're done."

Rija nodded. "Got it."

It was just a few moments later that Rija's voice echoed through the library. "Kisuke! Over here!"

Kisuke hadn't even finished his sweep yet, but he wasted no time in heading Rija's way. She was at the back of the archives standing next a wooden door flanked by two stone torch holders. Any fires that had once burned there were long gone, but with the sinister light permeating the tower flames were hardly necessary. The door itself was off-kilter, hanging by a single hinge and offering a teasing glance at the room beyond, but no more than a sliver of it.

"As good a place as any to start, right?" said the Fifteenth Seat.

Kisuke nodded, one hand hovering over the hilt of his Zanpakutō while the other reached for the door. "Yeah. Get ready."

Rija's eyes narrowed as her hand likewise drifted towards her sword. "Right. After you."

Taking a deep breath, Kisuke pushed the door open a second later. He was braced for the worst, but there were no hostiles lurking in the room. What confronted him was a surprising spacious chamber. Nearly every wall was lined with shelves packed with scrolls and books, while at the back end was a rather messy desk…

…not helped in the least by the fact that there was a skeleton with a sword through its head sitting behind it.

That wasn't the only bit of human remains in the room. Taking in the chamber at a glance, the Third Seat counted around a dozen or so complete or partial skeletons scattered about. Some of them still clutched notched and broken weapons in their long-dead hands, and all displayed signs of having met a _very_ violent end.

"What the hell?" hissed Rija as she and Kisuke stepped inside.

Kisuke knelt next to one of the skeletons for a closer examination. The bones were remarkably well preserved...

…just like the rest of the Upper City.

 _No, not quite_ , he mused, _The plants in the courtyard appeared perfectly preserved, but these remains have been reduced to naught but bone and a few bits of armor. Whatever power's at work here apparently doesn't save flesh from the ravages of time. Still, these bones are in amazing shape. The only real damage appears to be from whatever killed these poor saps in the first place._

"This just got a whole lot more interesting," Kisuke muttered.

"No kidding," Rija deadpanned, "Why didn't we see any remains before now? Why here and not the halls or the entrance chamber?"

"We've yet to explore the entirety of the Moon Tower," Kisuke reminded her, "It's possible that there are plenty more rooms like this one where the remains of the former inhabitants still lie where they fell millennia ago. Also, the ones closer to the ground might've had a chance to evacuate while other residents got trapped on the upper floors."

Rija nodded. "Plausible, I suppose. Still, it's damn creepy."

"No argument there," Kisuke replied as his gaze focused on the skeleton sitting at the desk.

He stepped forward, studying the figure in greater detail. Based on the bone structure Kisuke felt confident in surmising that the individual had been male, but there wasn't much else on him that hinted as to his identity. The figure was slumped over, with the sword having been plunged through the back of his head and into the desk below. Had the man actually been killed this way, or had his body been positioned like this after the deed was done?

Kisuke shifted his focus from the skeleton itself to the desk it'd been so crudely impaled against. Faded pages and scrolls were scattered about, many with entire sections blotted out by what Kisuke recognized as long-dried blood. Kneeling next to the skeleton, he realized that it was hunched over a book… almost like it was sheltering it.

 _Did he seriously shield a_ book _with his dying breath?_

Cautiously shifting the skeleton, he slowly slid the tome out from beneath its deceased guardian. The cover was stained with a mix of blood and ink blots, and there was no discernible title to the text. There were also slashes around the edges, but the core of the book appeared to be more or less intact.

"Time for some light reading?" asked Rija as she watched Kisuke with a curious light in her eyes.

"You could say that," Kisuke answered as he blew dust off of the tome, "Watch the room for me, all right?"

Rija nodded. "Got it."

Leaning against the desk, Kisuke flipped the book open and began skimming through the first few pages. His eyes swiftly narrowed as he realized what he'd found.

 _Jackpot._

It was a journal belonging to the chief archivist himself, and Kisuke suspected that was the identity of the skeleton slumped over the desk. The text was crisp and well-organized, and it didn't take long for the Third Seat to find his bearings. It was clear that he'd found the latest in what was likely a long line of journals kept by the archivist… and judging from the circumstances he'd found it in, it was almost certainly the man's _last_ bit of writing.

Going back to the beginning, Kisuke double-checked the date on the first page. It corresponded with roughly a year or so before Menar Issilaya had gone silent. If any text in the entire library had what Kisuke was looking for, it would be this journal.

Or so he hoped. The first several pages didn't appear to be all that promising. They followed a familiar pattern; noting guests received by the lord and lady of the city, any large caravans or major influxes of travelers, briefly describing the occasional festival or theatrical event, recounting general news received regarding the broader Soul Society, and even notating the weather of that particular day. It was well-written, but the material itself wasn't all that unusual.

Flipping through page after page, Kisuke was starting to have doubts by the time he hit the halfway point. Years of dedicated research had taught him to have patience with the writers of the past, but this was a field mission; he didn't have time for idle reading. He had vital information to seek out, and the text thus far had proven utterly trivial. The Third Seat was close to tossing the book aside in frustration when a particular passage caught his eye. It wasn't completely legible; the blood that had spilled on the cover of the book had also seeped through and marred many of the pages, but there was still enough readable text that Kisuke could tell he'd hit upon a lead.

 _"…received word from the emissary of the Drakken Clan… two days from now. The chamber has… thanks to the casters. It will be ready for what it is meant to hold, or so I hope. What it wrought before… suffering beyond imagining. The seal must be strong, and it must hold, or all will be lost. In two days… and our great test shall begin. Spell casters, soldiers, masons… building up to this moment. The people… in the dark. Perhaps it's better that way."_

Skimming ahead to the entry two days later, Kisuke's eyes bore into the page like those of a hawk seeking prey. The knowledge he sought was _definitely_ here, and he wouldn't let blotches of blood or the ravages of time hide it from him.

 _"It finally arrived. Escorted… unease. No, that hardly does it justice. Fear… man and beast alike. How it made it all this way… miracle the guards kept their sanity. I looked on from a distance… never felt such terror. Caught a glimpse… face of evil itself. It was immediately brought to the chamber… interred. Sealing was successful, but… struggle. The barrier was reinforced… chained the sarcophagus. The watch was doubled… will need to be ever vigilant now. Madness and horror now lie beneath our esteemed Moon Tower… dark secret beneath the light of Luna."_

The next few entries were a return to the usual, but to Kisuke their tone felt forced. It was as if the writer was trying to make himself forget what he had seen… and judging by the next passage, he had failed miserably.

 _"Awake or asleep… cannot escape it. Ever present in the mind's eye, and even the most beautiful moonlit nights cannot provide comfort. Every day… make sure the guards are sharp at their post. That the casters mind the barrier… seal remains secure. That knowledge gives me little relief. That face… lord of death and ruin. To see just one was bad enough, but to know that there are more… pity whoever was charged with sealing them. The crown… not harmed by any craft we here possess. No one had sufficient power… Do they all have one, or… different means of sustaining their unlife? We should've studied it more carefully, but sealing it was imperative. Now… in check. Its destruction is beyond us. Containment at all costs…"_

One word above all others stuck out in that passage to Kisuke; 'unlife'. He'd read it before, but where? What had the context been? He wracked his mind even as he continued to study the text, now proceeding with greater caution.

The tone of the journal soon shifted. The writer was clearly obsessed with what had been brought in, but to Kisuke's growing frustration the man refused to outright name it in the text. Its true identity was continuously danced around with only vague hints offered, as if the author had feared that putting its name to a page could somehow unleash it.

Resorting to skimming again, he went ahead several entries. The date for the one where he began reading in earnest again was about a month before contact had been lost with Menar Issilaya.

 _"There was a Hollow attack tonight. Hasn't… in quite a while. The garrison repelled… minimal losses. The beasts usually aren't so foolish… make a direct strike. Attacked… at the point of heaviest defense; the Moon Tower itself. Are they drawn by what lies beneath? Their attacks… in a frenzy. They may sense it… seek it, and yet fear it. I checked the seal again… cast again to be sure."_

The next three weeks-worth of entries followed the same pattern; almost nightly Hollow attacks, and all of them focusing on the Moon Tower. Their behavior was odd, though. Hollows might act animalistic, but Kisuke knew from experience that plenty of them had the capacity for cunning. Yet the accounts of the attacks all made reference to the creatures acting in an apparently panicked frenzy. It was as if they _dreaded_ what had been brought to the Moon Tower, yet at the same time they were inexorably drawn to it.

 _Yet some of the rumors said that Hollows avoid Menar Issilaya nowadays_ , Kisuke recalled, _which is quite the contrast to what I'm reading here._ _Were the rumors just wrong, or is there more to it than that? We haven't seen any Hollows in the Shadow Pass yet or near the city itself, but it's not like we've been here very long._

He continued to read, and it soon became apparent that the relentless Hollow attacks had achieved something. Was it the result the beasts had hoped for? Kisuke couldn't say.

 _"Menos Grande… hit the Moon Tower. No damage to the citadel itself, but… seal was disturbed. The guards… whispers coming from the chamber. It has been stirred… testing the barrier. I went down to the chamber… chains on the sarcophagus moved. A chill has gripped the Moon Tower. I fear we are standing on the brink. The seal must be reinforced, if that is still possible. It must be. If it is not…"_

Things were clearly coming to a head. The script on the page was losing the elegance it'd possessed before, and in several spots looked as if it had been written by a badly shaking hand. Blotches of spilled ink

 _"It cannot stay here. That last attack… Moon Tower can no longer anchor the barrier. The citadel still stands, but the power flowing through it has been disrupted. A new tomb must be prepared, and quickly. Word… the Drakken Clan. Should respond faster than the Seireitei. Our hope now lies in the east. They must… with haste. Whispers… in the dark. The guards speak of fell power lingering in the air down there. The chains… cracked. It is regaining its former strength. We are running out of time."_

Kisuke leaned forward slightly, sensing he was close to the moment of truth. The next few entries gave testament to the archivist's ever-growing sense of dread. There was palpable urgency verging on outright panic, and the script became even sloppier as he progressed. Kisuke imagined the author trying to put his thoughts to paper in what was likely a state of all-consuming terror; it was a miracle the writing was legible at all.

And then, at long last…

…he found it.

 _"Calamity. The sarcophagus… chains shattered. It broke through the barrier… will have its vengeance. The garrison… completely outmatched. Its strength is so much greater than I had feared even in my darkest dreams. I saw it in the entrance chamber… lord of the city was slain. We were cut off… retreat up the citadel. That face… unholy hatred. Whatever humanity it once had is long gone. Abomination… the entire city is now its prey."_

"What is it, damn it?" Kisuke hissed under his breath as he kept reading.

The script was incredibly bad now, as if the writer had been barely able to keep himself together. More ink blotches dotted the pages, but Kisuke could still discern part of the final entry.

 _"We cannot get out. We had… but we're not that lucky. The Moon Tower… has made its prison its home now. The screams… won't be long now. To whoever may find this record… if you are weak. If you are strong… three anchors. The crown, the ring, and the amulet… through great power. Only hope of victory. If you are victorious… the others. There are… out there. Those fallen lords… Servants of Midnight. Find their prisons… too late. A scratching at the door… sword being drawn. We cannot get out…"_

 _"It comes..."_

….

Visaelya was grateful that Shisui had taken point, because at the moment she certainly didn't trust herself with that kind of responsibility. It was taking all of her effort simply to maintain her composure as she and Aika followed the Tenth Seat in ascending the Moon Tower.

 _The Andunayan barrow was an idyllic paradise compared to this_ , she thought, _I understand now why even my clan's dragons will not dare approach this place. A curse lies upon this city, although the true nature of it still eludes us._

Visaelya had never considered herself to be the superstitious sort, but there was simply no other word she could think of that properly described the atmosphere inside the Moon Tower. Every theory she came up with for what had happened here was crazier than the last, and she wanted nothing more than to finish the mission and get the hell out ASAP. Even having Shisui with her did little to ease her apprehension, and that wasn't helped by the fact that the Tenth Seat seemed a bit on edge as well.

"We've got to be close, right?" asked Aika nervously.

Shisui nodded. "We should be. Stay sharp; we've got no idea what's waiting for us."

What they'd seen so far hadn't been promising. Although they'd stuck primarily to the stairs, Visaelya had caught glimpses of corridors leading off towards other parts of the Moon Tower. The deathly-pale blue light emanating from the walls and floors of the citadel made for a positively nerve-wracking experience, and that wasn't helped by the occasional skeletons that the group had spotted during their ascent. They hadn't stopped too long to study them, but even cursory examinations were enough for them to spot the tell-tale signs of weapon damage to the bones of the deceased.

 _They didn't die peacefully, that's for sure_ , she grimly mused, _but why are bones only showing up here rather than the rest of the city? Is it because whatever power that now grip's Menar Issilaya is stronger here than in the other sections?_

It didn't make any sense. The energy that permeated this place was the very same power that had corrupted the Shadow Pass, yet it seemed to have preserved the area at the heart of the infestation rather than cause it to decay like the rest of the city had. Visaelya would be the first to admit that the energy had properties she didn't understand, and it was possible that one of those was responsible for this twisted sort of preservation. Why preserve the Upper City while the rest of Menar Issilaya and the Shadow Pass wallowed in corruption and decay?

She pushed the riddle from her mind; it wasn't one for her to solve at the moment. Her task was to investigate the observation room at the top of the Moon Tower with Shisui and Aika, and that required her full concentration. As much as Menar Issilaya itself unnerved her, what made matters even worse was that they were now operating in a very enclosed environment. Combat would be tight, messy and brutal, and while Visaelya believed she could handle herself she was still worried about Aika. The Twentieth Seat had made a bit of progress during their numerous sparring matches over the course of the journey, but Visaelya knew she needed more time to bolster her swordsmanship.

For now, Visaelya made a conscious effort to keep Aika at the rear of the formation. If there was a fight, it'd be better if the young woman could act in the manner that she was most comfortable with by being in a support position. There wasn't exactly much room for spell casting in the corridors and staircases of the Moon Tower, but it was still better than nothing. Of course, if they were attacked from the rear, then Aika would have to either draw her sword or rely on her skills in Hakuda.

 _I certainly hope it won't come to that_ , she thought, _but in a place like this it's impossible to rule anything out._

She'd known that joining Squad Two meant that she would have missions that were very much outside of what would be considered the norm for other divisions, but Visaelya had never counted on one like this. It certainly fit Squad Two's profile since the primary focus was scouting and threat assessment, but the nature of the environment in which they were conducting those activities was something else entirely. Investigating a power that gave even dragons pause was more than a little intimidating, to put it mildly.

"We're just about there," said Shisui, "Be ready."

Visaelya nodded. "Of course."

"Speak for yourself," she heard Aika mutter under her breath.

After what had felt like a torturously long climb, they finally reached the top of the stairs. At the end of the staircase there was an entrance consisting of a single wooden door flanked by two marble statues. The figures were both male and armored, but Visaelya didn't know enough about Menar Issilaya's history to be able to identify them, if they were even meant to represent people of note in the first place. Their upraised hands had likely functioned as torch holders back in the day, but they grasped naught but air now. Of course, torchlight was unnecessary given the eerie illumination provided by the energy flowing through every surface of the Moon Tower.

Shisui leaned forward slightly to examine the door. Following his lead, Visaelya saw a series of deep gouges in the wooden paneling. They'd clearly been left by blades, and the door itself appeared to be quite shaky on its hinges. Unfortunately, the cuts into the wood didn't go all the way through, meaning there was only one way to find out just what was behind it.

After a moment, the Tenth Seat glanced over his shoulder and nodded at the two young women. "All right, then. Let's do this."

Keeping his right hand on the handle of his sword, he slowly pushed the door open with his left. Visaelya tensed up while Aika watched the rear; who knew what awaited them up here?

She saw his eyes narrow as he spotted something inside. "Well, now… that's interesting."

"What is?" asked Visaelya, hoping she didn't sound as nervous as she felt.

"See for yourself," Shisui replied, "Don't worry, the room's clear… well, clear of anything hostile, anyway."

The way he said that didn't exactly fill Visaelya with confidence. Still, she and Aika followed Shisui as he entered the room; they weren't about to shirk their duty now.

Aika gasped as the three of them surveyed the room. "Oh my…"

Visaelya couldn't even manage that much. Her eyes widened as she took in the chamber. A broad circular room with wide windows spaced out evenly in order to provide near-complete visibility over Menar Issilaya, the observation chamber had surely been majestic and awe-inspiring in its heyday. Bathed in the deathly-pale light of the sinister energy coursing through the Moon Tower, though, it was hard to really enjoy the scenery…

…especially since there had to be about two dozen skeletons scattered about the chamber.

Broken spears and notched swords were embedded in ribs and skulls, making for a macabre scene. Apart from the damage caused by the weapons, though, the bones were perfectly preserved. Scraps of cloth and bits of armor could be found clinging to the remains, and damaged weapons lay on the floor next to them. Had these all be soldiers charged with defending the Moon Tower, or merely civilians who'd armed themselves for a desperate last stand after having been forced to retreat all the way to the top of the citadel? It was impossible to say for sure.

However, as strange as it might've seemed, the remains of the city's long-dead residents were actually of secondary importance. All three Soul Reapers found their gazes drawn to a black pedestal in the center of the room. It came up to about Visaelya's chest and was rather plain in and of itself, but that wasn't why she and her friends were looking at it.

Sitting atop the pedestal was pyramidal crystal. About the size of a child's play ball, it was a very dark shade of green with what looked like swirls of black mixed in. As the three of them approached, though, Visaelya realized that wasn't quite the case. The black swirls weren't some static pattern; they actually _moved_ within the crystal, writhing about like a tempest. There were brief flickers of light coming from within, some merely reflections of the icy-blue energy that dominated the Moon Tower, while others were occasional hues of red or orange. There was power emanating from the crystal, but it was of a very different nature than that which permeated the citadel. It was foreboding to be sure, but not sick or twisted. It was ancient, and there was a certain darkness to it, yet it didn't feel corrupt or evil.

Visaelya's already-fair complexion grew even paler in shock as her mind flashed back to the lessons of her private tutors. Images of ancient books and scrolls passed through her mind, with particular focus on a set of pictures and sketches one of her teachers had shown her.

"No way…" she murmured as she realized what she was looking at, "It's really…"

Aika tapped her on the shoulder. "Visaelya? Are you okay?"

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Shisui chimed in as he looked back and forth between her and the crystal, "What's up?

Visaelya tried to regain her composure, but she was only partially successful; the full ramifications of what she was looking at were still sinking in. "Down in the entrance chamber, the Captain… she spoke of an 'eye' that accounts of this place made reference to, right?"

Shisui nodded, raising an eyebrow. "She did, yeah. Why?"

Visaelya pointed at the crystal. "I think we just found it."

Aika tilted her head in a quizzical manner. "What? That thing? It doesn't look like any kind of eye I've ever seen."

Shisui peered at her intently. "You know something, don't you?"

"My family teachers mentioned artifacts like this during my lessons," she replied, "but I thought they were lost ages ago… especially _those_. What we're looking at… it's a Nalatarin."

"A what?" asked Aika.

Shisui shook his head. "I'm lost. Care to help out those of us who didn't get that fancy noble private education?"

"Of course," Visaelya answered, hastily attempting to organize lessons from her childhood into as quick and effective an explanation as she could muster, "The name roughly translates into 'Far-Sight Gem'. Nalatarin is the singular form, with Nalatarini being the plural. Forged by the powerful spellcasters and craftsmen of the old kingdom working in concert, a Nalatarin's capable of showing the user lands and images far beyond what the naked human eye can comprehend from a single position."

Shisui's eyes widened. "Wait a second… you mean it's like one of those crystal balls you hear about in fairy tales?"

Aika's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"

Visaelya sighed. "I suppose that's the simplest way to put it, but I'm afraid it's a rather crude comparison. A Nalatarin's far more than a device concocted for mere fables told to children. It's bound by certain limitations, such as the fact that it cannot see objects underground, but what it can accomplish is nothing short of extraordinary."

"Mind giving us the rundown?" asked Shisui, "What's this thing capable of?"

"It's not called a 'Far-Sight Gem' for nothing," Visaelya answered, "There are no documented limits on its range; in theory, it can see from here all the way to the opposite end of the Soul Society. However, there are key requirements for properly utilizing it. Each side of the pyramid corresponds with one of the four cardinal directions. The Nalatarin must be properly aligned with those directions, otherwise any visions will be marred. In order to look south, for example, one must actually stand on the opposite side of the artifact; looking down from the north, if you will. The same principle applies when it comes to viewing the east or the west."

"That's a bit limiting, though," Aika pointed out, "What if someone wants to look in a direction that isn't purely one of the four cardinal directions? Say, slightly southeast, for example?"

Visaelya's brow furrowed as she tried to remember the finer points of her old lessons. "If I recall correctly, that was dependent on the user establishing the necessary link with the Nalatarin. Once the stone accepted the wielder as a legitimate one, the user could mentally direct it to focus on more specific directions. One still had to be standing on the proper side to set up a baseline first, though."

Shisui scratched his chin in thought. "What qualified someone as a legitimate user? How could the stone recognize someone as such, for that matter?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Visaelya admitted, "I think some sort of ceremony was conducted in which a watchman was officially designated. The Nalatarin would've been at the heart of the proceedings, and supposedly by bearing direct witness it would imprint the designated user's features inside itself. From that point onward, whenever that official watchman wished to, they could use the stone."

"And if the user was illegitimate?" Aika asked nervously.

Visaelya tried and failed to suppress a shudder as she recalled her tutor's words. "Supposedly, they were rendered catatonic. Whether this state was temporary or permanent, I cannot say."

Shisui gave the stone an apprehensive look. "In other words, none of us are going to be using this thing today."

"That would be for the best," said Visaelya, "Theoretically, someone with sufficient power and strength of will could bend a Far-Sight Gem to their will, but that was rather vaguely defined. If I had to guess, I'd say such an individual would have to be on par with a Captain at the very least. Even then, though, I'm not sure how long they could sustain a brute-force connection before backlash from the Nalatarin overwhelmed them."

"We're looking at it right now," Aika mentioned, "How come none of us have been rendered catatonic?"

"None of us are actually trying to use it at the moment," Visaelya answered, "A Nalatarin is capable of recognizing the distinction between someone studying the gem itself versus someone actually seeking to wield it. We would have to actively focus our wills on the stone for it to perceive us as attempting to use it."

Shisui folded his arms as he regarded the artifact with cautious curiosity. "Is its power only usable in the Soul Society, or could it be used in one of the Realms of the Living too?"

Visaelya shook her head. "I honestly don't know. The only references to the Nalatarini that I read simply spoke of their properties and history within the context of the Soul Society. There were no records of them being taken to any of the Realms of the Living and used there, although that's certainly not to say that it never happened. We just lack the proper historical evidence to prove it one way or the other."

A shiver went down her spine as she recalled another part of her lessons. "There was another property to these things… well, supposedly, anyway. I don't know if there's any truth to it."

"What do you mean?" asked Aika.

Visaelya looked back and forth between the Twentieth and Tenth Seat. "This is going to sound crazy, but… supposedly a sufficiently powerful and skilled user could see more than just far off places with a Nalatarin… they could see into the past as well."

Shisui's jaw looked like it was about to hit the floor. "This thing can look back in _time?_ "

"That's a tale told about the Nalatarini, at least," said Visaelya, "Honestly, though, it sounds too far-fetched to be true. It's likely a legend that got started after they were lost."

"It'd be cool if it was true," said Aika, "Also a little scary."

Visaelya nodded. "Indeed."

Shisui took a few steps closer, studying the pedestal holding the stone. "I'm not seeing any sort of locking mechanism or traps. It really just sits there?"

Visaelya shrugged. "The lords of the city must've been content with the guards assigned to protect it. In the event of siege, preventing the stone from falling into enemy hands would be of paramount importance. It's possible that whatever caused Menar Issilaya to fall happened so quickly that they were unable to secure the Nalatarin."

"Why's it still here, though?" asked Aika, "I mean, it's just sitting unguarded like this. Wouldn't whoever or whatever that's taken this city be interested in this thing? What's to stop us from just grabbing it?"

Those were all very good questions, and Visaelya didn't have adequate answers for them. A Nalatarin was a prize beyond measure; any hostile force that had seized Menar Issilaya would've made taking possession of it an extremely high priority, regardless of whether or not they possessed the power needed to use it. There had been no signs of guards as Squad Two had made its way through the city, and that remained the case once they had entered and begun exploring the Moon Tower. At this point, Visaelya was comfortable in assuming that the city had fallen due to some form of hostile action rather than any kind of natural catastrophe or freak accident. Whoever had taken over the city had access to incredible treasures, with the Nalatarin being at the top of the list.

So why was it still in the observation room? As far as Visaelya could tell, this was where it had belonged when the city was properly inhabited. Why did it remain here, and why was it completely unguarded? Did whatever force that had seized the city and purged it of its inhabitants lack the means to use it? Had they not recognized the stone's true nature? _Could_ the three of them simply seize the Nalatarin, or were their hidden defenses that had escaped Shisui's keen gaze?

She saw Shisui's eyes narrow. "I don't like it. Everything about this setup smells wrong. I wonder…"

His voice trailed off, and Visaelya was curious as to what path his thoughts were travelling down. "Shisui?"

There was a moment of silence before he replied. "We can't leave this thing here. It's too powerful an artifact. Even if it's been here over a thousand years without being disturbed, there's always the chance that someone with the strength to use it could make their way through the city and claim it."

"But can we really just… _grab it?_ " asked Aika, eying the stone and the pedestal it rested upon with trepidation.

Shisui turned to Visaelya. "What would it take to destroy one of these things? Do you think any of us would be able to do it?"

Visaelya's was aghast at what he was suggesting. " _Destroy it?_ With all due respect, have you lost your mind? When the old kingdom collapsed, the Nalatarini were all believed to have been lost in the chaos. To actually find one intact is a discovery of unparalleled importance!"

Shisui gave her a hard look. "From everything you've told me thus far, this thing is an incredibly powerful sensory tool. To see across the Soul Society from a single vantage point could give a foe an incredible advantage. I know you said that bit about being able to look into the past is probably just a fable, but if there's even the slightest chance of that being true as well then it amplifies the threat by orders of magnitude. I definitely want to try to take this thing back to the Seireitei, but if it turns out that we're incapable of doing so then we need to consider alternatives to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. It's simple asset denial."

"What about the Captain?" Visaelya protested, "Since she's from a Great Noble House she's well-read on the history of the old kingdom; she would know about the Nalatarini. She would understand the value of finding one and would want us to make all possible efforts to bring it back with us!"

"We should at least run it by her," Aika chimed in.

"I intend to," said Shisui, "but we also need to be prepared to act on our own initiative. She said she was going into the depths of this place, remember? What if an enemy reveals itself up here while she's down there? We have to consider all possible scenarios."

Visaelya sighed. "I know, and you're not wrong, but… can we at least _try_ to move it first before we resort to drastic measures? I mean, it's not very large, and it doesn't look that heavy."

Shisui nodded. "Sure, but first I want you two to get back. Both of you go out into the hall and stand guard; if you see anything coming our way, tell me immediately. I'm going to examine this thing a little more just to make sure we're not missing any potential traps."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. Having a rearguard made sense, but only one person was really required for such a duty. Why have both her and Aika take on the task?

 _He must have his reasons_ , she told herself, _and besides, he's your commanding officer. He just gave you a direct order; it's not your place to question him._

She nodded. "Understood. Let's go, Aika."

"Right," said the Twentieth Seat as she fell in behind her.

….

Shisui hated having to lie to his subordinates, especially after having a chance for fresh bonding with them over the course of the journey out to the Shadow Pass. Then again, he hadn't technically told a lie; he _was_ going to examine the Nalatarin a little more, and having Aika and Visaelya mind the entrance to the observation room was relatively sound. The issue, of course, was that he didn't want them in the same room as him while he went about his work. After all, for a _real_ good look at what he might be dealing with here, he needed to call upon the power of his bloodline.

As soon as the two young women were out of the room, the Sharingan flared to life in his eyes. Having observed the exterior of the Moon Tower with it before, he figured he had an idea as to what he might see now, but being inside the citadel and surrounded by its fell energy made for a very different experience. He could perceive the corrupting power around him much more clearly now, so thick that it was almost stifling. It oozed and seeped from every brick and tile, swirling around his feet like a whirlpool.

The corruption appeared to have its limits, though; there was a clear difference between the power that tainted the citadel versus that of the Nalatarin. The Far-Sight Gem was blazing like a beacon, emitting steady pulses of energy that kept the pollution at bay. Its energy was considerable, and Shisui struggled to get an accurate read on it.

 _I think this is just the surface_ , he mused as he studied the stone, _and one might only be able to perceive its true power through using it…_

He didn't plan on that, though; he had no intention of rendering himself catatonic in the middle of such a dangerous environment. As he continued to probe the Nalatarin with his Sharingan, though, he noticed the energy emanating from the artifact begin to stir and shift. There was a fresh flicker of crimson light within the gem, and Shisui realized that just as he was appraising the Nalatarin, it was now studying _him_. Slim tendrils of power weaved through the air about him, with a few brushing up against him with the lightest touch.

Was the artifact curious about him? Did it even have the _capacity_ for an emotion such as curiosity? Visaelya had said that a Far-Sight Gem could detect if someone was a legitimate user, which certainly implied that the device had a degree of intelligence, but Shisui was beginning to suspect that there was more to it than that.

Was this thing actually...

 _…alive?_

….

 _All those times I gazed at those paintings of the Moon Tower_ , thought Yoruichi as she led Soi-Fon and Itachi into the citadel's depths, _I never considered the dark underbelly it might have…_

Well, 'dark' might be the wrong word for. The eerie light that emanated from the rest of the Moon Tower was present in the underground parts of it as well, such that there was no need for her group to rely on Kidō spells for illumination. That was very much a good thing, for Yoruichi wanted to make sure that her subordinates were completely focused on the task at hand and did not have to devote any attention, no matter how slight, to maintaining a little ball of light over their heads.

What they'd found thus far did not bode well for what might lie ahead. It hadn't taken long for the trio to stumble upon their first skeleton. The remains had clearly belonged to a guard, with the armor the poor sap had once worn being cleaved right down the middle by what must've been a very powerful strike. More skeletons had been discovered in short order, and it was quite clear that these soldiers had _not_ met peaceful ends.

Determining who or what had struck the killing blows, though, was another thing entirely. So far, the chambers Yoruichi and her companions had searched had been rather mundane; storerooms, armories, and other such spaces. The Moon Tower had a small jail, but it was more of a set of temporary holding cells before any offenders apprehended in the citadel itself were transferred to the city's main prison. Yoruichi and her subordinates had already come across those cells, and there were no signs of a breakout. In fact, there were a few remains actually inside the cells; whatever had slaughtered the Moon Tower's inhabitants had not discriminated between guards, civilians or criminals.

They'd covered quite a bit of ground already, but they weren't done yet. Yoruichi sensed that they were drawing ever close to the source of Menar Issilaya's corruption. There had to be a limit to just how much was beneath the Moon Tower, and she had a feeling that they would find what they were looking for sooner rather than later.

She glanced at Itachi to see how he was doing. His abilities had developed to the point that he could surely sense just as clearly as Yoruichi and Soi-Fon that they were getting closer to the heart of the terrifying power that had taken root here, yet whatever reservations he might privately have he appeared perfectly calm. He regarded the eerie chambers and hallways and morbid scenes they passed through with the eyes of a seasoned warrior, taking in as much as he could at a glance and keeping a sharp lookout for the first signs of a possible ambush. One hand was constantly hovering over the handle of his Zanpakutō, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

 _It's hard to remember that he's still a recent Academy graduate_ , she mused, _I think the last time I had a new recruit that handled themselves this well in the field so soon after leaving the Academy was Shisui. Now that I know both of their pasts, I suppose that makes a lot more sense. The two of them saw more than their share of horrors long before they came to the Soul Society…_

Descending another flight of stairs, the three of them came upon a rather unusual sight. It was a straight corridor, which in and of itself wasn't exactly odd, but the walls of this hallway weren't the plain stone-brick facades that they'd seen before. There were murals engraved upon the walls of both sides of the corridor… or rather, the remnants of murals. Chunks were missing in many places, and there were scores of slashes and gouges up and down walls.

"What's the meaning of this?" asked Soi-Fon as the trio cautiously proceeded forward, studying the murals while also keeping an eye out for possible traps.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "These aren't random damages. They're deliberate defacements."

Yoruichi nodded as she paused before one particular section. "I think you're right."

What had drawn her gaze was a scene composed of six figures, with five of them kneeling before the last one. It was difficult to make out any identifying attributes; whoever or whatever had defaced these murals had gouged out the bits where their heads would've been, and chips and fragments were missing from other parts of the scene too. There was an underlying script, but that was damaged as well, and only short bits of it were still legible.

Yoruichi leaned closer as she took it all in. Something about this felt familiar. Had she seen this image somewhere else? Had she read a historical reference to the events being portrayed here somewhere in her past? Upon more thorough inspection, she was able to discern that the five kneeling figures all appeared to be wearing armor. Meanwhile, the figure they were bowing before was wearing what were either robes or a dress, and she began to suspect that the person was actually a woman.

A chill went down her spine as she recalled one of the lessons her private tutors had given her long ago. A dark pit began to grow in her stomach, and she swiftly turned her gaze towards the fragments of script, desperately hoping for some sign that she was misinterpreting the mural, because if her suspicions were right then things here were _much_ worse than she'd initially believed.

 _Let me be wrong_ , she thought as she worked to translate the engraved words, _I_ really _want to be wrong about this…_

Alas, her fears were not allayed as she worked her way through the fragments of text. Only a handful of words and bits of sentences could still be made out, but what little she could translate did not serve to comfort her.

And then there was the last bit of the inscription, which she could read _very_ clearly.

 _"…Servant of Midnight."_

" _Shit…_ " she hissed under her breath.

Her two companions instantly realized something was up. Both Itachi and Soi-Fon immediately turned to her, and while they remained calm for the most part Yoruichi was still more than capable of reading the concern that was just below the surface.

"Lady Yoruichi, are you all right?" asked Soi-Fon.

"You've found something," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "You know what lies ahead, don't you?"

Yoruichi gave the two of them a grim nod. "I have an idea, but we still need confirmation. Listen, both of you… stay close to me, all right? If my suspicions are proven right, then the… _thing_ at the heart of all this is _not_ to be taken lightly. More importantly, it might summon company, and I'll need the two of you to watch my back. You got that?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi."

"We'll be right behind you," said Itachi.

Yoruichi took a deep breath as she looked down the corridor. If her worst fears were indeed realized down here…

…then the three of them would be in for one hell of a fight.

….

If the corrupting energy flowing through the Moon Tower had been thick before, that had been nothing compared to what it felt like down in the depths of the citadel. As Itachi followed Yoruichi and Soi-Fon through the corridor, the dark power that had Menar Issilaya in its grasp made the air itself oppressively heavy. There was no doubt in his mind that the source was at the end of the hallway, and if Yoruichi's reaction to the image carved on the wall was any indication, then whatever lay ahead had to be a major threat.

 _This has definitely shaped out to be more than a typical scouting mission_ , Itachi mused, _I wonder if we really_ will _have to recommend the Head Captain's intervention when it's over…_

Imagining worst-case scenarios was something he'd gotten pretty good at during his time as a Shinobi, but it was harder to do that now because he still had no idea as to what was ultimately at the heart of all this. Yoruichi seemed to be leaning towards one particular conclusion, but she was unwilling to say what it was without supporting evidence. Itachi could appreciate the desire to have proof before making any sort of judgment, but it would've been nice to at least have a hint as to what might await them.

Perhaps the nature of her division meant that Yoruichi had gotten into the habit of keeping her cards very close to her chest. Either that, or the potential threat up ahead had her so unnerved that she was unwilling to give voice to its true nature and was feverishly hoping that her conclusion was a mistake.

The latter was by far the more disturbing of the two possibilities.

What in the name of the Soul King could spook a Captain? Granted, Itachi hadn't seen anything close to approaching Yoruichi's full power, but what he had witnessed and experienced in his time with her had given him a good teaser as to what she was capable of. She'd always carried herself with confidence born from skill and experience in the field, and this was the first time that Itachi had seen her look genuinely uneasy during a mission. He wasn't the only one that had picked up on it; from the way that Soi-Fon was looking at her, it was clear that Yoruichi's bodyguard was more concerned about her than usual.

Itachi looked back and forth between the engraved murals on both walls as the trio possessed, searching for any sort of clue that might give him insight into what had spooked the Captain earlier. He cursed his inability to read the script of the old kingdom and made a mental note to ask Yoruichi for some lessons once the mission was done, either directly from her or a subordinate such as Kisuke. The images weren't very helpful either; even if they hadn't been vandalized by whatever had claimed Menar Issilaya for itself, it was entirely possible that they depicted scenes Itachi would've had no way to put into proper context. The expedition to the barrow of the old kingdom during his Academy days had given him a good general outline as to the Soul Society's ancient history, but he knew that his understanding was still far from comprehensive.

His mind went back to the image that had shaken Yoruichi. Five armored figures bowing before one that wore what was either a robe or a dress… at least five males and likely one female… what did it mean? Obviously, the figure that the five were bowing to was important, but in what way? Was she royalty or nobility? Perhaps a revolutionary? A powerful sorceress? After all he had seen in both his first life and thus far in his afterlife, Itachi wasn't about to rule anything out.

 _ **This place is quite fascinating**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō mused aloud, _**Menar Issilaya… perhaps the radiant moonlight it was once known for was merely cover for the dark secrets it housed. I wonder what sort of test awaits us in its foul heart.**_

 _I suspect we're about to find out. Are you ready?_

 _ **Are you?**_

 _I have no choice._

 _ **Then neither do I.**_

The end of the long corridor was finally in sight, and just from the doorway alone Itachi could tell that they were in for something nasty. The remains of two _heavy_ wooden doors with steel bracing lay on the ground, and he instantly realized that they'd been broken open from the _inside_ of the room beyond. At least two dozen armored skeletons lay just outside the entrance, swords clasped in ancient death-grips that refused to loosen and great gouges in the plating that had so dearly failed to protect them. Two stone statues of armored men flanked the doorway, the torches that their now-empty hands had once grasped long gone and their faces as marred as those upon the murals that lined the corridor. The icy blue energy that dominated the Moon Tower was flowing out of the chamber beyond like a river, testament to the raw power of whatever was waiting for them.

The trio stopped just outside the doorway and looked through it. Beyond was a vast circular chamber, surprisingly spacious given the fact that it was built underground and beneath a structure as heavy as the Moon Tower. At the center of the room, Itachi spotted a stone sarcophagus. Broken chains lay on the floor around it, along with the shattered fragments of what must've been the slab that had once covered it. In sharp contrast to the energy that illuminated the rest of the citadel, the very far end of the chamber was shrouded in shadow, and Itachi could immediately tell that it wasn't a natural darkness. It was a swirling black mass, with only faint flickers of light breaking free. That was the epicenter of the unholy power that held Menar Issilaya in its grip.

They were on the precipice now, metaphorically and literally. Standing so close to the source of the power that had corrupted Menar Issilaya, Itachi's gaze turned to Yoruichi. Her golden eyes had hardened in firm resolve; whatever misgivings she had were forced to submit to her dedication to seeing her mission through. The same went for Soi-Fon, who looked ready to follow her Captain into Hell itself. Itachi took one final moment to steel himself with the full understanding that whatever was waiting for them in the chamber beyond was certainly more powerful than him and likely Soi-Fon as well. He wouldn't be the star of this fight; that honor would belong to Yoruichi. It would fall to him and Soi-Fon to support her, looking for openings in the enemy's defenses while keeping an eye out for traps and ambushes.

Yoruichi looked over her shoulder at him, and after regarding him for a moment surprised him with a small smile. "I was going to tell you that if you wanted to head back upstairs, you could, but that look in your eyes… you wouldn't do that even if it were a direct order, would you?"

"We've come this far," Itachi replied, "I'm not abandoning you now. Besides, having two people watch your back is better than one, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "It is. I've got faith in your skills, Itachi, and high hopes for your future. Prove to me that you're as good as I think you are and more. Consider _that_ to be an order."

"Understood," he answered.

She then turned to Soi-Fon and gave her a confident smirk. "Well, you know what they say; nothing ventured, nothing gained. Shall we take a good kick at this hornets' nest?"

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Yes. If it's stings the enemy wants, I'm more than ready to deliver."

"Now that's what I like to hear," said Yoruichi as she turned back towards the doorway, "All right, then. Let's go say hello."

She led them into the chamber, and the atmosphere changed as soon as the three of them crossed the threshold. A fresh chill swept over them, emanating from the dark mass at the far end of the room. The icy blue light coming from the rest of the chamber intensified to the point that one could forget that they were underground; the room was now so well illuminated that it might as well have been open-air under broad daylight. This renewed light did not provide any sort of reassurance or comfort, though. Far from it; in Itachi's eyes, it was just another hint as to the true power of what they were going up against.

Giving the chamber a fresh look now that they were actually inside it, Itachi realized that it was even larger than he'd initially guessed. The training yard of Squad Two's barracks could fit comfortably inside here several times over, and apart from the stone sarcophagus in the center there were no obstructions. Several hollow sections were carved into the encircling wall, each one with a dark blue crystal sitting inside it. The individual crystals were about as large as a person, and their facades were marred with fractures. Quickly counting them up, Itachi found that there were thirty-six of them in total.

 _ **A multiple of nine**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō noted, _**I should've expected as much, given where we are.**_

 _What do you mean?_

 _ **Remember that little history lesson we got for the barrow mission? The number nine was significant for the old kingdom. The island they once called home was in the rough shape of a nine-pointed star, for starters.**_

With that reminder now in his mind, Itachi gave the crystals a second glance. It was possible that they were simply decorative, but that conclusion didn't sit right with him. The presence of the sarcophagus meant that one would be forgiven for thinking of this place as just an elaborate tomb, yet Itachi suspected that wasn't accurate. If the number of long-dead guards just outside the chamber along with the doors that had been busted from the inside were any indication, this room had once been something more akin to a _prison_ than a tomb.

 _The crystals… they were anchors for a seal._

 _ **My thoughts exactly. A very**_ **powerful** _ **seal, I'd imagine.**_

 _Clearly not powerful enough._

 _ **All too true.**_

Glancing up at the ceiling, he saw a surprisingly elaborate mural etched into it. There were four nine-pointed stars, each one corresponding with a cardinal direction. At the center was an image of the Moon Tower, with the citadel oriented so that the top was facing the star representing the north. Four crescent moons were etched as well, these ones lining up with the northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. Just below the image of the citadel there was an image of what appeared to be an armored figure, but it had been defaced just like the murals out in the hallway. What was still quite visible, though, were the series of chains that descended from the base of the Moon Tower to wrap around the figure, further reinforcing Itachi's guess that they were standing in an elaborate _cell_ rather than an honored and revered tomb.

As fascinating as the ceiling mural was, though, Itachi couldn't spare it further study. More light was beginning to seep out from the swirling mass of shadows at the far end of the chamber, and he sensed that the _thing_ at the heart of all this was finally going to reveal itself.

 _Here we go._

"Itachi," said Yoruichi, "Remember what happened when you were brought back into your Realm of the Living? The effect it had on your presence in the Soul Society?"

Itachi nodded, wondering why she would bring that up now. "The soul fracture... what about it?"

Yoruichi gestured at the writhing mass of shadows and fell light. "What do you suppose happens when it's the other way around?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly at the implication. "You mean if someone was revived in the Soul Society after already reincarnating in a Realm of the Living?"

Soi-Fon's already-pale face became nearly snow-white, clearly grasping something that Itachi was missing. "No… don't tell me…"

Yoruichi's gaze hardened. "You're about to see the result, and it won't be pretty, I promise you that."

The maelstrom of shadow and light at the far end of the chamber intensified, and the pulses of foul energy coming from it grew in power. With one last burst of energy, the shadows were dispelled completely…

…and what they had concealed was something straight out of a nightmare.

Adorned in ornate full-body plate armor and a cloak descending from its shoulders, the figure was certainly imposing on a physical level, and the straight sword sheathed at its waist was definitely larger than any sealed Zanpakutō Itachi had seen so far. However, it wasn't the armor it wore or the weapon it possessed that was the source of its terror. That came from the only unarmored part of it; its face.

It looked almost mummified or severely emaciated, with what skin remained clinging so tightly and stretched so thin that the outlines of its skull were painfully visible. Thin strands of hair fell to its shoulders, tossed about by the waves of power emanating from it. Worse by far were its eyes, with irises as pale as the energy it radiated, colder than death itself. Its expression seemed to be twisted into a permanent state of agony and hatred, locked in perpetual torment and looking to make the rest of the world share in its suffering. A crown with three upraised spires was upon its head, with the base encrusted in jewels and lined with ancient script.

The crown wasn't the only elaborate accessory the monstrous being wore. An amulet hung from its neck, with an icy-blue gem embedded in a silver triangle at the heart of it. Both hands were clad in gauntlets, but Itachi caught sight of an enlarged ring worn upon the right one, a dark green gem embedded in the band while the rest was carved with what appeared to be the scene of some ancient battle. The crown, amulet and ring all resonated with power that blended together into one malevolent storm. Itachi couldn't discern their exact nature; where they mere trinkets that gave the creature a simple boost in strength, or was there more to it?

Much to Itachi's surprise, he realized that the creature wasn't actually standing at the far end of the room but was in fact sitting in an elaborate throne. The design-style of said throne was rather crude when compared to rest of the chamber, and in fact it looked like the being had simply carved it up out of what had once been a chunk of the wall after it had escaped the sarcophagus. The arms of the chair both ended in stone skulls, with two _real_ skulls sitting atop of those. Itachi had no idea who they might've belonged to, but from the way the being's hands rested atop them almost possessively it seemed to regard them as a pair of prized trophies.

However, now that Squad Two's Captain and her subordinates were in the room, the creature seemed to decide that it had more important things to worry about than two ancient skulls. It rose from its throne, but rather than walk it _glided_ across the floor. The gaze it fixed Yoruichi with was one of utter loathing and malice, even more intense than its already anguished and hatred expression had been before. Did it recognize her specifically, or did it just reserve this kind of look for any exceptionally powerful intruder?

Itachi was still analyzing the creature when he heard Soi-Fon gasp, and when he glanced at her he actually saw a glimmer of genuine fear in her eyes. "A _wraith…_ "

Still quite some distance away from the three Soul Reapers, the 'wraith' drew its sword. Its black guard had three diamonds imbedded in them, and pale blue light danced within them before running up from the handle to the blade itself, enshrouding the weapon with fell flames. Gripping the weapon in both hands, it thrust the sword down into the floor. There was a great ripple effect as fresh energy radiated from the point of impact, coursing along the floor and the walls. The thirty-six fractured crystals Itachi had spotted earlier now pulsed as they were overtaken by the corrupt power, and looking over his shoulder he saw that the exit was now sealed by a barrier.

 _It's repurposed the anchors of its old seal_ , thought Itachi as he drew his Zanpakutō, _Will destroying the crystals take down the barrier, or will we have to eliminate the wraith itself in order to escape?_

Soi-Fon had drawn her blade as well, yet Yoruichi's remained sealed. Her gaze remained locked with that of the wraith, an unspoken challenge passing between them. Itachi could sense her spiritual pressure gradually increasing in output, and he knew that she was ready to pounce into action at any moment.

Four beams of deathly pale blue light suddenly shot out of the crystals towards the exit of the chamber and struck the floor. Itachi and Soi-Fon whirled around and witnessed a square seal outlined in the same light appear on the floor where the four beams had hit. Inside the square, the light took on a patter reminiscent of a pair of doors… doors that opened a moment later. A chorus of inhuman screeches rang out, and a fresh parade of nightmares came forth.

Dozens of figures appeared, clasping swords, daggers, maces, and more. All of them were shrouded in the same tainted light that the wraith had brought to Menar Issilaya, and all of them had a similar look to them. Their bodies might be human, but like the wraith they clearly were no longer that in mind and spirit. The flesh that clung to them was patchy and revealed sinew and bone in many places. Mouths were twisted in cruel sneers, as if they were looking forward to inflicting torment upon the three Soul Reapers.

"What are these things?" asked Itachi as the creatures began to fan out.

"Wights," Yoruichi grimly answered, her focus still on the Wraith at the other end of the chamber, "They're what the three of us will become if we die here."

"That's not going to happen," Soi-Fon growled, "I'm not letting these _abominations_ have the satisfaction of a kill!"

"I expect nothing less," Yoruichi replied, and Itachi sensed that the show was about to kick off, "You two focus on them; keep those things off my back. If you can thin them out, see if you can take a shot at those crystals and try to break the barrier that's locking us in here. I'll take the wraith. Better keep some distance from me so you don't get caught in the middle. Above all else, _survive_. Got that?"

Itachi nodded firmly. "Understood."

Soi-Fon's eyes gleamed with determination. "Yes, Lady Yoruichi."

Glancing over his shoulder, Itachi saw the Captain turn to the wraith, finally drawing her Zanpakutō. "And as for you…"

The light of cold fury harnessed for battle blazed in her eyes. " _…you should've stayed dead._ "

….

It had been quite some time since Soi-Fon had last seen Yoruichi display anything approaching genuine anger, but the harshness of the glare she gave the wraith chilled her almost as much as the nature of the enemy they were up against. She could sense her Captain's spiritual pressure rising rapidly, and that quickly manifested itself physically as a white aura surrounded her. Sparks danced along her drawn blade, and Soi-Fon knew full-well what that meant; Yoruichi wouldn't be toying with her prey today, but would come out swinging _hard_.

"Unleash divine fury," she commanded, "Inazuma On'na!"

Bolts of white lightning flew out in all directions as Yoruichi brought forth her Shikai. When the glare faded just enough for Soi-Fon to see her Captain again, the short sword that Yoruichi had grasped earlier had vanished. In its place was a pair of silver gauntlets, each one enclosing her hands and going up her forearms almost to her elbows. White sparks crackled up and down the gauntlets, and the forearm sections were wrapped in a series of chains. Small retractable claws emerged from the tips of each finger, bits of light flickering around them. Yoruichi had already adjusted her stance to account for the transformation her weapon had undergone; instead of a traditional Zanjutsu posture, hers was now one more in line with Hakuda, which was quite fitting given her preferred method of fighting.

Wasting no time with boasts or pleasantries, Yoruichi formed a fist with the right gauntlet and punched. She was well out of range of her foe, but it wasn't her fist she sought to slam into the wraith; it was the blast of white spirit energy that shot forth from her gauntlet instead. The attack was nearly blinding, but much to Soi-Fon's surprise it didn't connect; the wraith was able to dodge the strike despite its incredible speed, and instead the energy slammed into the throne it had recently occupied, reducing the hideous chair to a pile of rubble.

"Soi-Fon," said Itachi, "We've got incoming."

Forcing her gaze away from Yoruichi as the Captain and the wraith moved in for close-quarters-combat, Soi-Fon saw that the wights were advancing. She refrained from unleashing her Shikai; in situations such as this, its sealed blade form was actually the better option. She didn't know if its poison would work on beings like this, and she didn't feel like taking any chances.

"Keep them away from Lady Yoruichi no matter what!" she commanded.

Itachi was already on it. "Hadō 20: Tenkū no Myaku!"

A broad pulse of invisible energy caused the air to ripple, and the first wave of wights was caught by the tide of power and thrown to the ground. Itachi immediately sprang forward, carving into the dazed and disoriented monstrosities with his Zanpakutō. Fortunately for him and Soi-Fon, the cleansing powers of the Soul Reapers' traditional weapon worked on undead abominations just as well as it did on Hollows, and each wight struck by Itachi's blade dissolved into little more than specs of spirit energy.

Not to be outdone, Soi-Fon decided to unleash an attack spell of her own. Raising her Zanpakutō horizontally in front of her, she gathered the necessary energy as a fresh wave of wights rapidly approached.

"Hadō 32: Ōkasen!" she cried out.

A yellow orb of energy materialized and the spread across the width of Soi-Fon's sword. It then shot out as an arc, knocking several of the wights back and momentarily stunning them. That was all the opening Soi-Fon needed to Flash Step forward and strike them down before they had the chance to recover.

She wanted to make for one of the crystals that was generating the portal the wights were using, but she still didn't have an opening; more wights had already come through and were blocking her way. Glancing over at Itachi, she saw that the Sixteenth Seat had the same problem. Neither of them had room to fire off Kidō spells now, forcing them to rely on their Zanjutsu and Hakuda skills from here on out.

Fortunately, the wights didn't make for particularly skilled combatants. They weren't exactly slow, but their movements came across as somewhat stiff and jerky, as if the power that had brought the poor souls into service of the wraith was incapable of providing them with the full range of motion that a human or regular soul would be capable of. The abominations also appeared to lack much in the way of tactical ability, instead relying on simple numbers. Their individual combat abilities left much to be desired, so as long as Soi-Fon and Itachi could manage the flow coming out of the portal they'd at least be able to maintain a solid defense for a while.

 _Defense alone won't be enough for victory_ , she thought bitterly as she thrust her Zanpakutō through a wight's skull, _Lady Yoruichi's counting on us to deal with these things, and the best way to do that is to eliminate the portal. We need to break through and target the crystals anchoring it, and we need to do it fast!_

….

Itachi had seen more than his fair share of horrors during his time as a Shinobi, but none of them came close to matching what he was facing now. Not even the most twisted of experiments that the likes of Orochimaru or Kabuto could come up with would have a chance of measuring up to the tortured and twisted beings that he and Soi-Fon were facing now, let alone the abomination that Yoruichi was fighting. The Captain did not have time to elaborate on the nature of the wights or why the three of them would join their horrendous ranks if they fell here before her clash with the wraith had begun, but based on the similarities between these lesser nightmares and their master Itachi had already developed a theory.

 _According to Yoruichi, the wraith was a byproduct of someone attempting to bring a person back from a Realm of the Living to the Soul Society after they'd already entered the cycle of reincarnation_ , he thought as his sword danced through the air on instinct and struck down his foes, _I have no proof, but I'm willing to bet that these 'wights' owe their existence to a similar process. Perhaps anyone slain by the wraith has their soul pulled from the reincarnation cycle and is trapped in such a tormented state, bound to the creature that's taken this city. A horrific fate indeed if that's truly what happened here…_

His swordplay was precise and tight, focused on maintain the delicate balance between protecting himself while proactively engaging the enemy and keeping them as far away from Yoruichi as possible. Soi-Fon was engaged in a similar dance, her Zanpakutō flashing through the air in silver streaks as she cut down any wight that either got to close to her or threatened to slip past and go after Yoruichi. As a result, the two of them were holding the line but accomplishing little else.

Thanks to the pressure he and Soi-Fon were under, Itachi didn't have many opportunities to check on Yoruichi's progress. That was a real shame, because the few glances he was able to steal in between slicing and dicing wights had shown him brilliant displays of the Captain's power the likes of which he'd never seen before.

He now understood why Yoruichi didn't unleash her Shikai for just any mission; it's raw power and flashiness actually ran counter to the more stealth-based nature of Squad Two. It was a real spectacle to behold, with the air around her constantly crackling with white sparks as she duked it out with the wraith. For all her skill with Zanjutsu, Hakuda and Hohō were where Yoruichi really shone, and her Shikai emphasized those strengths perfectly. The strikes she was unleashing on the wraith were almost too fast for Itachi to follow, and each one left a trail of blazing white sparks in its wake. Occasionally, she would clench a fist and fire off a blast of energy like she had at the start of the clash, but for the most part she was clearly focused on punishing her foe through brutal melee combat.

Blocking the wraith's sword with her left gauntlet, she made an openhanded swipe across its chest with her right. The clawed tips of her fingers raked the abomination, and Itachi saw yet more lightning coursing along the chest of her foe. The blow didn't appear to break through the wraith's armor, but it still gave Itachi a good appreciation for what that move was capable of.

 _If she struck an unarmored foe with that attack, any physical tears in their flesh from her claws would then be flooded with the lightning coming from her Shikai_ , he thought, _Her spirit energy would assault her foe from within even as she continued to pummel them from the outside._

The open-handed strikes were actually in the minority for this fight, though. Instead, Yoruichi was clearly favoring blindingly fast and ferocious punches, along with some sweeps and kicks thrown in to keep the wraith guessing. Small shockwaves would ripple through the air with each strike, with lighting constantly flowing from the chains wrapped around her forearms to her fists and imbuing her attacks with phenomenal power. However, the lightning wasn't strictly concentrated in the gauntlets; large bolts would occasionally fly forth and random, striking the walls, floor and ceiling with enough force to not only leave scorch marks but also rip chunks from stone. That, Itachi realized, was likely another reason why Yoruichi didn't use her Shikai very often; those stray bursts of power could likely cause serious damage to any ally that didn't have sufficiently high levels of spirit energy to properly protect themselves with. It was no doubt part of her cause for moving forward to solo the wraith while leaving Itachi and Soi-Fon to tend to the wights coming from the rear.

Of course, the wraith was hardly taking these attacks lying down. Now that it was engaged in open combat its spirit energy was a storm unleashed, easily rivaling the power Yoruichi was throwing at it. It didn't appear to be as fast as Squad Two's Captain, but its swordsmanship was top notch. The creature could shift seamlessly from attack and defense, gliding back and forth across the chamber as it exchanged blows with Yoruichi. Its blows were powerful, and more than once Itachi saw Yoruichi being forced to block them with both of her gauntlets at the same time rather than deflect with just one. The wraith appeared to favor a two-handed grip for its fighting style, which would better facilitate strong overhand blows and a tough defense focused on protecting its center.

The blade itself was not the only weapon the wraith had at its disposal. Just as Yoruichi was capable of unleashing blasts of energy with her Shikai, the wraith had its own ranged attacks. Occasionally the pale blue flames that ran up and down the blade would suddenly surge forward and attempt to consume the Captain, only for Yoruichi to either disperse them with a burst of lightning from her Shikai or simply Flash Step out of the way. It didn't use this attack too often though; either its focus was primarily on engaging with just its sword or Yoruichi wasn't giving it the necessary time to build up for that kind of a strike.

Itachi was torn. Intellectually, he knew that moving to engage the wraith with Yoruichi would do her no favors. It would leave Soi-Fon alone to fend off the wights and would only distract the Captain, increasing her concern for both her bodyguard and her Sixteenth Seat. That logic didn't change the desire burning in his heart to rush to Yoruichi's aid.

He shook his head as he blocked a strike from a wight before putting the poor creature out of its misery. If they were going to make it through this nightmare alive, he needed to trust his Captain and carry out his duty. Itachi was right where her battle plan needed him to be, and he had no right to throw it out the window just because he wanted to support her directly against her foe rather than play the role of rear guard.

 _You have your mission_ , he silently told himself as he struck down another wight, _so carry it out. Breaking formation, even out of a desire to help her, won't do any real good. Focus on your part of the fight and trust that she knows what she's doing._

It was the logical decision, one that would apply whether he was a Soul Reaper or a Shinobi, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

….

Aika and Visaelya's orders might've been to stand outside the observation room and keep an eye out for potential threats, but those orders went right out the window the second they felt twin surges of power. One was coming from far below, and Visaelya instantly recognized it as Yoruichi's spirit energy; no doubt the Captain had finally found whatever foul being was at the heart of the city's corruption and was cutting loose. The other was much closer to home, though. In fact, it was coming from inside the observation room.

Visaelya turned to Aika, and the two of them shared a quick nod. Orders be damned; they needed to know what the hell was going on.

"Shisui!" she cried out as the two of them burst into the room, "What…"

The remainder of her words died on her tongue as her eyes widened at the sight before her. There was the Tenth Seat, the relaxed and friendly young man who had saved her life and welcomed her so readily into Squad Two, holding the Nalatarin in his left hand. The air around him pulsed with energy, and she realized it was a mixture of his own and that of the artifact. What really floored her, though, were Shisui's eyes. Rather than the warm and easy-going black eyes that Visaelya was used to, they were now blazing scarlet gems, each one with three black tomoe orbiting the pupil. Those eyes were fixed on the Nalatarin, and Visaelya's first horrified thought was that he was actually trying to use it.

The last thing she wanted was for him to be rendered catatonic, yet as she and Aika continued to stare at him it became clear that wasn't the case. His footing was sure and strong; he didn't seem to be in any immediate danger of keeling over. Studying the situation more closely, Visaelya was shocked to realize that Shisui's and the Nalatarin's spirit energy actually appeared to be in synch, or very close to it. It was as if the Soul Reaper and the ancient artifact were engaged in some sort of unspoken dialogue, or perhaps mutually evaluating each other.

"Tenth Seat Uchiha… are you all right?" asked Aika nervously.

Shisui pulled his gaze away from the Nalatarin, although his eyes remained scarlet. "What are you two doing here?"

Visaelya stepped forward. "Forgive us for disobeying your orders, but we couldn't remain outside when we felt that spike in spiritual pressure. We thought you were in danger!"

"We're _all_ in danger right now," Shisui curtly replied as he stuffed the artifact into a satchel, "I take it you also felt the spike coming from below, right?"

Visaelya nodded. "Of course."

"The Captain's fighting," murmured Aika, "She has to be…"

"We need to link up with the others immediately," said Shisui as he led the way towards the door, "What lies beneath this citadel is worse than anything we could've imagined."

Visaelya gasped as the implication sunk in. "You used the artifact, didn't you? That should've been impossible!"

Shisui shook his head. "You're mistaken. I didn't attempt to use it. It was… well, it's more like I communicated with it and it decided to show me something important. It's kind of hard to describe, and we don't really have time for it right now anyway. I'll give you the full rundown later."

There was a hellish screech as the three of them approached the doorway, and waves of icy blue light began to pulse outwards from the walls of the Moon Tower. Sparks of energy raced along the marble surfaces and converged on the doorway, forming a barrier. The energy then flowed back out across the observation room again, this time forming seals over the windows and firmly locking the trio in the chamber.

"A trap!" cried Aika.

"Impossible," said Shisui as he turned back towards the pedestal where the Nalatarin had once stood, "I swept the whole room for traps with my Sharingan and didn't detect any potential triggers!"

Visaelya's eyes widened. "Sharingan? Is that what's turned your eyes red?"

"It's an Uchiha thing," Shisui replied, "I'll explain later, but it has to stay between the three of us, you got that?"

"O-of course!" Aika stammered, clearly more concerned with what was happening with the Moon Tower than Shisui's strange eyes at the moment.

Visaelya couldn't blame her there. Frantically looking around the room, she couldn't discern the source of the power freshly coursing through the chamber or why it had chosen now to act. What was much more concerning to her were the tendrils of eerie pale blue power that began to emanate from the walls and ceiling. They began to converge near the doorway, forcing the three of them to fall back towards the middle of the room. The trio drew their swords, tensing for what Visaelya sensed was imminent battle.

Her fears were quickly realized as the swirling tendrils of energy formed a portal of sorts, and her already pale face went almost pure white when she saw the nightmarish forms that began to come forth. Her mind flashed back to old bedtime stories and legends that she thought she'd forgotten years ago, ones that she'd hoped were merely myths and fables. Yet as she looked on at the gradually growing assembly of horrors confronting them, she knew in her gut that those old tales unfortunately had had more than a bit of truth to them.

" _Wights_ ," she hissed, "Here, of all places…"

"W-what?" Aika yelped, "These things… they _can't_ be…"

"Never seen 'em before," said Shisui as he grimly assessed the situation, "We don't have time for details, so just tell me this; can they be killed?"

Visaelya nodded firmly; on that point, at least, the legends of old had been quite clear. "Yes. They're vulnerable to our Zanpakutō."

She felt another surge of power, but this one wasn't coming from either the Moon Tower or the source of its corruption far below; it was coming from _Shisui_. His already-blazing crimson eyes seemed to glow even brighter, and his blade was bathed in his spirit energy.

"Good," he said with a smile, "In that case, I'll take point. You two watch my back and look for a way out of here, you got that?"

"Understood," said Visaelya, steeling herself for the clash.

"Right," said Aika, and much to Visaelya's relief she saw that the Twentieth Seat at least had a firm grip on her weapon.

 _I hope our training sessions on the road with her were enough to boost her confidence. She's going to need it._

For his part, Shisui had raised his Zanpakutō, and Visaelya knew what was coming. "Playtime, Kage no Kodomo!"

Visaelya's mind flashed back to the joint operation the advanced track students had taken part in with Squads Two and Ten years ago. Just like back then, Shisui's blade transformed into that slender short-sword with the strange guard, and tendrils of dark blue spirit energy were already emanating from the four slits. The flow of energy rapidly escalated as those tendrils became floods of power, and mere moments later Shisui was joined by four doppelgangers. Unlike the first time she'd seen his Shikai, though, now each of those clones had crimson eyes just like what Shisui's had become.

 _His spiritual pressure's incredible_ , she thought, _I can't believe he's only the Tenth Seat of Squad Two! He's severely under-ranked…_

This 'Sharingan' of his had to play some sort of role in that. Visaelya had no idea what it was, but the level of power he was demonstrating now versus what she had seen from him before made it abundantly clear that he'd been keeping the true measure of his strength a secret. His personal spirit energy combined with that of his Zanpakutō felt _much_ stronger now that it had in the past, to the point that she suspected his true power might actually be closer to that of a Lieutenant than the rank he currently held. It was a stark reminder of how little she really knew about him despite his friendly and warm demeanor towards her. She wanted to learn more, but now was hardly the time for that sort of thing.

 _ **If you want to solve the mystery of his eyes, you know what you have to do first**_ , said the spirit of her Zanpakutō.

Visaelya nodded firmly. _Indeed. I must first survive…_

 _…and I must win!_

….

Shisui had no idea what a 'wight', as Visaelya had called their new enemy, was. It sure as hell wasn't a Hollow, and while it had clearly once been human whatever humanity it once possessed was long gone. Perceiving them through both the Sharingan and by sensing their spirit energy, they struck him as something that simply should not exist. They were neither human nor Hollow, and neither living nor dead.

 _Coming to the Soul Society taught me that there are far worse fates than death_ , he mused, _but I never imagined there'd be one as twisted as this out there._

As unnerving as this new kind of enemy was, Shisui could at least take comfort in the fact that Visaelya was right; they could _definitely_ be killed. Striking them in the head with his Zanpakutō seemed to be the most effective way to take them down, but stabbing them through the chest or cutting them in half yielded good results as well. In fact, they were rather easy to eliminate, but the speed at which reinforcements came through the portal meant that victory for the three Soul Reapers was far from assured.

The formation was simple; Shisui and his Zanpakutō's version of Shadow Clones were up front and taking the fight directly to the enemy. Behind him, Visaelya and Aika were supporting with a combination of Kidō spells and their own blades. Shisui was able to keep most of the enemy's attention on himself for now, but there was no guarantee that things would stay that way.

He surged forward, his blade flashing through the air with precision and speed aided by his Sharingan. The wights unfortunate enough to face him could not withstand his attacks and were struck down almost as quickly as they could immerge from the portal. His four Shadow Clones covered the flanks, supplementing his attacks with a relentless assault of their own.

Using his Sharingan boosted the capabilities of his Shikai in a few key ways. While the doppelgangers created by his Zanpakutō couldn't use the full scope of the Kekkei Genkai's abilities, they _did_ gain a significant increase in perception. This allowed them to fight with greater accuracy and efficiency than normal, and it also gave them an improved ability to adapt to new enemies in order to more effectively combat them. They couldn't use the power of the Eye of Hypnotism, but their limited access to the Eye of Insight made them a very effective set of bodyguards for Shisui. The doppelgangers could better replicate Shisui's fighting style when he used the Sharingan, and they had an enhanced capacity for creativity and improvisation as well. It wasn't quite the same as fighting alongside Itachi back in their Shinobi days, but right now Shisui would take what help he could get.

As he blocked a knife strike from a wight before plunging his blade through its skull and reducing it to little more than stray particles of spirit energy, Shisui's mind briefly turned towards his old friend. Itachi was with Yoruichi and Soi-Fon, and their group had gone into the depths of the citadel. He didn't even need to try to sense the spike in power from both his Captain and the foul energy at the heart of the city's corruption, and the fact that Itachi was down there caught in the middle made him worry. His faith in his friend's growing skills was strong, but Shisui wouldn't kid himself; Itachi could doubtlessly take on wights without issue, but whatever Yoruichi was dealing with was another matter entirely, and Shisui didn't like the thought of his old buddy being in the same room where a clash like that was taking place.

 _Itachi, watch yourself down there_ , he thought as he stabbed another wight through the chest, _I know you feel like you owe our Captain one and want to help her, but don't do anything reckless…_

Continuing to fend off the majority of the wights coming through the portal, Shisui hoped that the rest of his comrades inside the Moon Tower were holding their own and could regroup quickly. If they all got bogged down, then they'd _really_ be in trouble.

….

"Awaken, Benihime!"

While Rija provided cover with a wave of lighting from her Zanpakutō, Kisuke's spirit energy surged as his Shikai came to life. As soon as the transformation was complete, he thrust the blade through the neck of a wight, quickly reducing the creature to mere particles of spirit energy. Up ahead, Mindiwo was still fighting with his sealed Zanpakutō; he hadn't been given any breathing room to unleash his Shikai, but the Ninth Seat of Squad Two was still a formidable combatant even with such a handicap. Besides, Kisuke knew that Mindiwo's Shikai needed more room to be effective, and the tight hallways of the Moon Tower didn't give him the proper amount of space.

The first wave of wights had struck them in the library, and the trio had fought hard just to get out of there, with Kisuke barely having time to toss the scribe's journal into a satchel before everything had gone straight to hell. Once they'd broken through, Kisuke had been faced with a tough call to make on short notice; go upstairs to find Shisui's group, or head down and rendezvous with the Soul Reapers in the entrance hall. Sensing the spike in spirit energy from below, he'd decided on the latter. He knew what Shisui's Shikai was capable of, and he would have to trust that the Tenth Seat's power would be enough to ensure his survival and that of his two subordinates. For the Third Seat, his top priority was making sure Squad Two still had a clear line of retreat on the ground floor. After that, he would head into the depths of the citadel to help out Yoruichi.

With his Shikai now unleashed, Kisuke swiftly moved to take point before Rija was overwhelmed. When she saw him moving forward, she gave him a brief nod in gratitude before stepping aside, and that was when Kisuke decided to cut loose.

He smirked as he raised his Zanpakutō. "Sing, Benihime."

With a sweep of his sword, a torrent of crimson energy rushed forth and obliterated the wights blocking the corridor. Their path temporarily clear, the trio hurried forward, eager to make it to the next flight of stairs and descend to the entrance hall. Kisuke could sense the flaring spirit energy of the Soul Reapers down there; they were still alive and fighting to hold their position. He was determined to make sure that they _stayed_ alive.

 _I can't believe I didn't piece it together sooner_ , he mentally chided himself, _I should've recognized what was going on the instant I felt the foul energy emanating from this place._

One of the perks of his close friendship with Yoruichi was the fact that she'd given him free access to the Shihōin Clan's archives in order to advance his research. Given the practical benefits his studies had for Squad Two, along with some of the more amusing results of a few side projects, it hadn't been hard at all for him to talk her into it. Her family had raised a few eyebrows, but apart from that they hadn't made any serious moves to limit what he could examine there.

In the many hours he'd spent there over the years, he had come across accounts of wraiths. They had included information on how they were created, what they were capable of, and how they could turn those unfortunate enough to be killed by them into wights, lesser undead creatures wholly bound to their will. With the horde of wights that had attacked his group in the library, it was now painfully obvious that a wraith was at the heart of Menar Issilaya's fall, and Kisuke wanted to kick himself for not coming to that conclusion earlier.

 _The signs were all there_ , he silently fumed as he led his subordinates onward, _and it makes sense that one would be here; they were probably using the Moon Tower as the primary anchor for sealing it. Those Hollow attacks mentioned in the scribe's records weakened whatever barriers were in place just enough for the damn thing to break through. That corrupt spirit energy, remains that showed signs of blade wounds, impact marks from energy attacks, the gate to the Upper City showing hints that it was ruptured from within… it was all staring us right in the face!_

There was no use in further berating himself at the moment; linking up with the rest of the team and ensuring their survival was top priority. Keeping his Zanpakutō at the ready, Kisuke set a brisk pace for his group as they raced for the ground floor. They'd made quite a bit of progress already, but they still had a few levels remaining between them and their destination.

"The Captain's unleashed her Shikai," said Rija grimly, "That's never a good sign."

Mindiwo nodded. "She must be contending with the abomination at the heart of all this."

"That's where I'd place my money," Kisuke commented, "She wouldn't take any chances against something like this; of course, she came out swinging hard."

Rija chuckled. "Let's just hope she doesn't bring the citadel down on our heads. Her Shikai's powerful, but it's not exactly subtle."

"She'll be careful," said Kisuke.

Privately, he had his concerns. He knew how strong Yoruichi was, and in theory he felt that she could take on a wraith in a head-to-head fight. However, if they were fighting underground, then she would have to worry about minimizing damage to her surroundings. She was strong enough to survive a structural collapse from even a building as tall as the Moon Tower, but Itachi and Soi-Fon were another matter. The raw power of her Shikai was as much a threat as it was an asset under such circumstances.

Of course, there was more to her Shikai than brute force and flashy attacks. It played to her twin great strengths of Hakuda and Hohō, and Kisuke knew that she was much more comfortable fighting with her released Zanpakutō than she was with its sealed form. Just because she couldn't unleash its full power without putting her subordinates at risk didn't mean that she was down already; far from it. It simply meant that she'd have to get creative in order to pull out a victory.

Kisuke hoped that he would arrive in time to witness it.

….

A storm of white lightning dominated the rear portion of the chamber, and at the center of that tempest was Yoruichi. Moving with the speed that had won her the moniker of Flash Goddess and striking with the fury of a vengeful deity, she hammered her foe with an unrelenting assault. Her fists were blurs of silver and white as she unleashed blow after blow upon the wraith, while mixing in kicks at seemingly random intervals in order to keep her monstrous opponent off balance.

 _No matter what happens, keep his attention on you_ , she mentally reminded herself, _Soi-Fon and Itachi don't stand a chance against this thing if it gets either of them in its sights. They'll keep the wights off you, so keep this beast off of them!_

She intended to do that and much more. Yoruichi had no idea what it would take to put this thing down for good, but she was damn well going to make it regret having taken up residence in Menar Issilaya after what she assumed had been butchering its inhabitants and resurrecting them as wights following its escape from its fancy prison. She leapt into the air, flipping so that her feet touched the ceiling and then immediately pushed off, slamming into the wraith like a comet. The abomination was able to block the blow from her right fist with its sword, but the left one got through and hit it dead center in its chest. A hiss came from the monstrosity as it was pounded into the floor, but the sudden surge in its foul spirit energy told Yoruichi that it wasn't nearly ready to throw in the towel just yet.

She backflipped away from the wraith, and not a moment too soon. A column of icy blue flame shot up from the wraith's sword; if Yoruichi had lingered there just a moment longer she would've taken the blast full-on. The pillar of azure hellfire dissipated against the ceiling, leaving a broad scorched circle and causing some of the stones to crack from the intense heat.

Yoruichi's counterattack was immediately. Punching the air with both fists, twin blasts of white lighting shot out of her gauntlets and struck the wraith right in the face. Not even waiting to see the initial damage, Yoruichi Flash Stepped forward and began laying into the creature with a barrage of swift and powerful blows. When her eyes met those of the wraith, she scowled as she saw that it didn't have so much as a mark on it.

"How hard do I have to hit you for you to stay down?" she snarled as she caught its sword with her left gauntlet and nailed it in the jaw with her right, "Let's find out!"

The wraith did briefly appear to be dazed by the hit, but it recovered all too quickly. It made a broad sweep with its sword, forcing Yoruichi to pull back. Fresh blue flames began to dance along the blade again, and a moment later they concentrated at the tip and shot out like a bolt from a crossbow. Yoruichi was ready, with both gauntleted-hands stretched out before her and her spirit energy flowing through them. Another salvo of white lightning ripped forth, cutting right through the flames and dispersing them before hitting the wraith's lower torso. Again, the wraith seemed to recoil slightly from the hit, but only for a moment.

 _I can give it pause, but no more than that_ , she thought as she charged forward again, _I need to ramp up the pressure if I'm going to take this bastard down!_

Rather than attack her foe head-on, she Flash Stepped past it. Once she was behind it, she instantly turned around and took another Flash Step, this time slamming her fists into the creature's back. There was a hellish screech unlike the responses she'd gotten from her previous hits, but the wraith still countered with a wide swing from its sword almost immediately after the hit. Duking beneath the blow, Yoruichi saw unmatched hatred and malice in its gaze as it whirled around to face her; to say it was pissed would be a monumental understatement.

She refused to let its inhuman glare intimidate her. Pressing her assault, she pounded the wraith with a furious series of punches and kicks, culminating in a devastatingly powerful right hook that caught the abomination right in the neck. Yoruichi's spirit energy was surging through her gauntlets as the strike connected; a lesser foe would've had its head torn right off by such a blow. For a moment, it looked like this opponent might suffer exactly that fate as her armored fist ripped into its neck, but a sudden flare in the wraith's spirit energy indicated that this wouldn't be the fatal hit of the match. Flash Stepping back in case her enemy was about to unleash another powerful attack, her eyes widened as she saw the gash in its neck quickly seal up.

"Regeneration," she murmured, "That's a nasty little trick…"

She'd known from the start that taking this thing down would be difficult, but this presented a whole new challenge. Still, Yoruichi didn't have the luxury of backing down. Raising her gauntlets to block a powerful overhand sword strike, she unleashed another blindingly fast assault. There had to be a limit to the wraith's regenerative abilities, and she was going to find it one way or another.

….

Blades darting through the air like hummingbirds, Shisui and his four doppelgangers were waging a furious defense. Visaelya couldn't recall the last time she'd seen him fight like this; even his clash against the Hollows during the joint operation with Squad Ten when he'd saved her life and they'd first met didn't come close to measuring up to this. There was a constant stream of wights pouring forth from the portal, yet Squad Two's Tenth Seat was still proving himself more than capable of thinning out the horde. None of his doppelgangers had gone down yet, and the Soul Reaper himself didn't even look close to tired.

Appearances could be deceiving, though. Visaelya was no fool; for all the incredible power and skill that he was displaying now, Shisui surely couldn't hold out forever. A general rule with Zanpakutōs was that the more impressive their abilities were, typically the more power they required in order to be sustained over a prolonged period. It was difficult to tell just how much spirit energy Shisui needed in order to maintain his four clones and keep them fighting, but Visaelya was sure that it was a considerable amount. If she and Aika didn't step things up, the Tenth Seat could end up wearing himself out trying to protect them.

Visaelya was determined to not let that happen. There was still so much she wanted to learn from him, not to mention the fact that she very much considered herself in his debt for saving her life when she was a student. She refused to allow him to fall here, and would do everything in her power to ensure he lived to fight another day. That meant breaking out of her support role and becoming more proactive in the fight, something she was all in favor of doing even if Shisui would undoubtedly disapprove.

Cutting down a wight, she shifted her sword to her right hand while holding out her left. "Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"

A crimson blast of spirit energy shot forth, obliterating another wight that had slipped past Shisui and his doppelgangers. The move left Visaelya momentarily vulnerable, but she wasn't worried; Aika had her covered.

Indeed, the Twentieth Seat was more than holding her own in this fight. Perhaps it was simply because their backs were to the metaphorical wall, but her Zanjutsu was showing none of the hesitation that had been characteristic in her form before now. As a wight tried to cut down Visaelya while was shifting from her spell casting stance to guard, Aika swiftly intercepted the creature and thrust her Zanpakutō right through its chest. The two young women could only share a brief nod in acknowledgement before they were forced to confront more of the abominations, but it at least gave Visaelya greater confidence in her comrade's ability to watch her back.

"We need to seal that portal!" Aika called out as she cut down another wight.

"I know that!" Visaelya replied while thrusting her blade through one of the monsters' skulls, "Any ideas?"

Aika nodded, although the gesture wasn't as confident as Visaelya would've hoped. "I might. Can you cover me? I'm going to need a bit of time to build up my spirit energy for this."

"How much time?" asked Visaelya as she took down three wights with a broad slash.

"About thirty seconds!" Aika answered.

Visaelya nodded; the margin was tight, but doable. "All right, then. Just make it quick!"

Aika stepped back and sheathed her sword before holding out both hands before her. Visaelya took up position in front of her, bracing herself for the onslaught.

It wasn't long in coming; despite Shisui's best efforts to stem the tide, there was still a steady trickle of wights getting through him and his doppelgangers. Cutting down the first wight to get through, Visaelya then took a quick step back and held out her left hand, already gathering spirit energy.

"Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!" she shouted.

A wave of blue-white energy shot forth, incinerating four more wights that had made it past Shisui. Visaelya didn't have any time to rest on her laurels and was forced to engage yet another monstrosity with her sword mere seconds after unleashing the spell. She put the creature down with a clean strike through its neck and swiftly transitioned into a thrust aimed at the one behind it, catching the following wight in the gut.

"Any time now, Aika!" Visaelya yelled as she blocked a knife strike from another monster before cutting it down.

That was when she felt a surge of power from the Twentieth Seat, one Visaelya had not thought was possible from her. "Roppō Fūjin!"

Green spirit energy shot out from between her hands and converged on the portal. That energy swiftly formed itself into a three-dimensional cross-shaped barrier, with the portal locked in the center of it. Fresh wights coming out of the portal immediately found themselves stymied by this unexpected obstacle, and the creatures began to pile up against the barrier. With the flow of enemies halted, Shisui was able to mop of the rest of the monstrosities in just a few seconds.

Visaelya couldn't help but openly gape; the barrier spell Aika had used was a highly advanced one, and it required a considerable amount of power and skill to utilize. It was one of those spells that was mentioned at the Academy and described in textbooks and scrolls, but not actually taught to students by the instructors out of the belief that none of them would be capable of performing it without developing their abilities through field experience as Soul Reapers.

 _I knew Aika was gifted in Kidō_ , she thought as she studied the barrier in fascination, _but I never realized that she was capable of something like this!_

That was when she heard heavy breathing behind her, and when she turned around, she gasped at the state Aika was in. Her brow and face were absolutely drenched with sweat, and she looked like she could barely stand. Her arms were trembling as she tried to draw her sword again, and her footing was so unsteady she seemed on the verge of collapse.

"It… worked," she gasped as she desperately fought to keep herself upright, "I… don't know… for how long, though."

Visaelya saw Shisui shake his head, his crimson eyes narrowing as he studied the barrier, perhaps seeing something that she could not. "Not indefinitely, that's for sure. Aika, that took everything you had, didn't it?"

Aika gave him a shaky nod. "Yes, but… it was all I could think of."

Shisui smiled. "I know. You did well, and you bought us time. Visaelya, keep her on her feet. The barrier at the door's still up, but without the wights getting in the way we've at least got a bit of time to find the source. Leave that to me."

Visaelya nodded as she moved to give Aika a shoulder to lean on. "Understood."

"Keep an eye on the barrier," Shisui ordered the two of them as he swept the room with his gaze, "There has to be something in here that's anchoring the portal. If I can find it, I can destroy it."

"Sounds good," said Visaelya, gulping nervously as she saw wights continuing to pile up against the emerald energy field, "Please hurry."

Even as she followed his orders and kept watch on the barrier, Visaelya kept one eye on Shisui as well, curious as to what he would do to get them out of this mess. She was also fascinated by the new intensity given to his gaze by the Sharingan, and she could not help but wonder why he had kept it a secret all this time. What was it capable of? She could clearly sense the way it amplified his spirit energy, and it surely gave him some kind of enhanced perception, but she wanted to know the details. Unfortunately, now was hardly the time for an extensive question-and-answer session.

It didn't take long for his gaze to fall upon the pedestal that had previously held the Nalatarin, and Visaelya saw his brow furrow. "Of course… I should've spotted that earlier."

"Shisui?" said Visaelya as he and his doppelgangers approached the pedestal.

"This pedestal was dominated by the energy from the artifact earlier," Shisui replied, "and even now, residual energy from it still coats it. That made it difficult earlier to get an accurate read on this thing. Turns out the anchor for the portal and the barrier is in here. You two should step back."

Visaelya did as he instructed, moving until she and Aika were as far back as possible. A moment later, she felt Shisui concentrate his spirit energy in his Zanpakutō, a gesture mirrored by his clones. The original and the four doppelgangers thrusts their blades into the pedestal as one, and there was a sudden spike in power that caused the outer surface to crack and then shatter a second later. At the heart of the pedestal, Visaelya could now see that there was a crystal emanating the same kind of spirit energy that was found throughout the rest of the Moon Tower. The blades of Shisui and his clones now pierced the crystal, and the sheer power flowing into the stone caused it to fracture and fall apart within seconds.

It did not take long for the results of Shisui's action to become apparent; within Aika's barrier, the portal swiftly collapsed in on itself and dissolved. The wights themselves remained, but their flow of reinforcements had finally been cut off.

Shisui's clones stepped forward, while the Tenth Seat himself remained behind them. "All right, then. Time to finish these guys off. Aika, how much longer can you maintain the barrier?"

"Just a few more seconds!" she cried out.

Shisui smiled. "Let it fall, then; you've done well."

Aika sighed with relief and slumped against Visaelya's shoulder. "Okay…"

The barrier vanished, and as the wights surged forward Shisui was ready for them. "Hadō 54: Haien!"

A blast of violet spirit energy hit the core of the mob, disintegrating several wights at once. Shisui's doppelgangers fell upon the survivors immediately, cutting them down with brutal efficiency. One straggler attempted to break through to attack Visaelya and Aika, but it was intercepted by Shisui, who relieved it of its head in a single fluid motion.

Beyond where the portal and the wights had once been, Visaelya saw that the barrier over the doorway had collapsed. For a moment, she feared that more wights would pour into the room, but there did not seem to be any further activity. Closing her eyes for a few seconds, she could feel multiple fights taking place below them, but for the moment the top of the citadel appeared to be secure.

 _We should get going_ , she thought before looking at the friend she was supporting, _but Aika…_

The Twentieth Seat was in no shape to fight. Her breathing might've steadied somewhat, but it was clear that the barrier spell had taken a lot out of her. If they engaged in combat again so quickly, Aika wouldn't last long.

Shisui seemed to recognize that, because he gave the two young women a knowing look before issuing new orders. "You two stay right there. Don't move, you got it?"

Visaelya wondered what he had in mind, but guessed that she'd find out soon enough. "Of course."

His Zanpakutō reverted to its sealed state a moment later, with the doppelgangers vanishing. Sheathing his sword, Shisui then raised both hands and aimed the open palms towards Visaelya and Aika. His eyes still blazed with the Sharingan, and Visaelya found those crimson gems to be possessed with an almost haunting aura.

"Bane Hogo," he chanted, and bright pink energy shot forth from his hands.

Visaelya had to shield her eyes due to the intensity of the light as it engulfed her and Aika. When she was able to open them a few seconds later, she saw that she and her friend were surrounded by a cubical pink barrier. While the color itself was odd in that Visaelya couldn't recall any other barriers being pink, what really struck her was the sense of cool and refreshing energy permeating the air around her and Aika.

"This is a revitalization barrier," Shisui explained, "The Sharingan… it lets me copy certain spells and techniques. I had to spend quite a bit of time spying on members of Squad Four training before one used this particular barrier in my line of sight."

Visaelya was stunned at what he was saying. "Your eyes… they allow you to copy abilities?"

"With certain limitations," Shisui countered, "I'll elaborate after the mission. This barrier should help both of you regain some strength, although I can't maintain it very long; I need more training for that. I'll keep it up for five minutes and stand guard over the two of you, so sit down and soak up that energy, okay?"

Aika smiled. "Thank you."

Visaelya did the same as she gently lowered her friend to the ground. "Yeah… we owe you one."

Shisui smirked. "Don't mention it. Once your little break's up, we're heading for the ground floor. We're going to keep our fighting to a minimum; you two are getting out of this city. Once I know you're clear, I'll head back in to rejoin the others. No arguing here, you got that? You two have done more than your share of work today."

As much as she wanted to protest, Visaelya knew that Shisui was right. Giving him a simple nod of acknowledgement, she sat down next to Aika and allowed herself to soak up the rejuvenating energy within the barrier.

 _Lady Yoruichi… Itachi… everyone…_

 _Please, survive._

….

"Quite the welcoming party," quipped Rija as she let fly with another arc of lighting.

Kisuke chuckled as he thrust Benihime through the skull of a stunned wight. "No kidding. They're not exactly a festive bunch, though."

"Good," said Mindiwo as he cut down the last of the monsters in this current wave, "They'd be even creepier if that were the case."

Kisuke had a hard time arguing with that sentiment. Given the choice between wights and Hollows, he'd fight the latter any day of the week. The wights weren't exactly hard to take down, but they had an unnerving quality to them that was wholly absent in the traditional enemies of the Soul Reapers. Perhaps it was simply the knowledge in how such monstrosities came to be that made them so unsettling, or knowing what kind of abomination their wills were now bound to. Kisuke had learned long ago that there were far worse fates than death, and becoming a wight was definitely one of those nightmarish ends that was far more horrific than the simple cycle of passing and reincarnation.

They were just one level above the ground floor now, and Kisuke was keen to complete the descent as quickly as possible. He could sense multiple surges in spiritual pressure below; the clashes taking place in the Moon Tower were rapidly intensifying. While his greatest concern was naturally with the wraith at the heart of this calamity, Kisuke wasn't blind to the broader situation. Whatever was happening down in the entrance hall, from what he could feel he guessed that the team Yoruichi had assigned to hold it could use some backup.

The last flight of stairs was ahead of them, and as he led the way he briefly looked over his shoulder at his subordinates. "As soon as we get down there, be ready to fight."

Rija nodded. "Don't have to tell me twice."

"Indeed," said Mindiwo.

 _At least they're ready_ , he thought, _and they're in good shape to fight. All three of us are veterans; endurance in the field isn't an issue for us. I just hope that we won't be called upon to push that endurance to its limits._

Rushing down the last flight of stairs, Kisuke burst into the entrance hall with all the subtlety of a charging bull; he didn't have time for stealth. Fortunately for him, the combatants in the entrance hall were so focused on their frantic clash that Kisuke's group actually had the element of surprise on its side, and he intended to make full use of it.

There was a chill in the air of the entrance hall that hadn't been there before, and Kisuke already knew the source; Sixth Seat Katya had unleashed her Shikai. It only took a glance for him to spot her, and sure enough the sword she'd been carrying earlier was gone. In its place was a silver spear, its handle imbedded with diamonds and sapphires. Glowing dark blue runes ran up and down the weapon, with snowflakes trailing in its wake as its wielder put it to use. It had been quite some time since Kisuke had seen Shimo no Hebi in all its glory, and it was easy to see why Katya had felt the need to cut loose with it.

A portal had opened up at the back end of the entrance hall, and wights were spilling out of it. While her comrades guarded her flanks, Katya had taken up position directly in front of the portal. Whirling her spear around her, the Sixth Seat had turned herself into a one-woman bulwark against the horde. Wights struck directly by her weapon were reduced to naught but particles of spirit energy, while those who failed to dodge with a wide enough margin found their corrupted forms covered in frost. This was the power of Shimo no Hebi; any foe that was not slain outright by it and failed to give it the respectable distance it deserved would be coated in a frost that chilled them to the bone and sapped them of their strength.

Kisuke had seen its effects against Hollows, but upon closer inspection he realized it wasn't having quite the same impact on the wights. Yes, those that became coated in frost did slow down, but not nearly to the same degree as a Hollow or a human would. If Kisuke had to guess, he supposed that the undead nature of the wights meant that Shimo no Hebi's power was less effective against them. Katya needed help, and fortunately for her Kisuke's group was ready to provide it.

"Sing, Benihime!" he commanded.

A fresh wave of crimson energy shot forth, sweeping over the wights and reducing them to dust. It was enough to buy Katya's team a moment of respite, but fresh wights were already coming out of the portal.

"Take a breather, Katya," said Kisuke as his group stepped forward, "We'll give you a little room to regroup."

The Sixth Seat nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you."

Rija turned and smiled at the Ninth Seat. "I think you've got enough room to cut loose now, Mindiwo."

Mindiwo nodded, and Kisuke could already feel his spirit energy surging. "You're right. Devastate, Gyakusatsu no Akuma!"

His sword was shrouded in orange light before it transformed, elongating into a staff. The handle was obsidian, and at the top of the staff there was a black skull with flames blazing where eyes should've been. Its jaw hung open, as if whoever the skull had belonged to had died screaming in agony.

Mindiwo leveled his staff at the next wave of wights. "Decimate."

The skull at the head of the staff rotated so that it was facing the oncoming wights, and a sphere of orange energy flew from its open jaws. When it hit the front ranks of the approaching horde, it burst in a fierce explosion that rocked the entire entrance hall. Kisuke knew that the large blast was why the Ninth Seat hadn't used his Shikai while they were on the upper floors; in the tight hallways, such an explosion could've damaged the walls to the point of collapse. By contrast, down on the ground floor Mindiwo had the space he needed to cut loose with his Zanpakutō. No wights were left standing, but it was only a temporary reprieve; more were already coming out of the portal.

"Hold them off while I recharge," he requested.

Rija and Kisuke both stepped forward, their spirit energy surging. The Fifteenth Seat unleashed a wave of lightning, which Kisuke immediately followed-up with a burst of crimson energy. Their combined power stopped the next charge dead in its tracks, but Kisuke knew that this was just a momentary respite.

 _This nightmare won't end until it's been dealt with at its source_ , he thought, _Yoruichi…_

 _You'd better win down there._

….

"There's too many of them!" Soi-Fon yelled as she stabbed a wight in the face.

Itachi was forced to agree with the sentiment as he cut down another monstrosity. For every creature that the two of them eliminated, it seemed that another took its place almost instantly. They'd made absolutely zero headway, and Itachi was beginning to worry.

 _That damn portal's pumping out new hostiles as fast as we take down the current ones_ , he thought as he sliced the head clean off a wight, _and they're all fresh. I don't know how long we've been fighting down here, but we can't keep this up forever._

Neither of them had gotten a single opening to go after any of the four crystals anchoring the portal and the barrier sealing the chamber. Every time Itachi or Soi-Fon had tried to break off and aim a spell at one of the stones the wights had immediately moved to either strike at them directly or take the hits in place of the crystals. They might not have been the smartest creatures, but they did at least seem to possess a rudimentary tactical intelligence. Granted, it consisted of little more than constantly throwing fresh waves at the two Soul Reapers to keep them occupied, but that was really all they needed. It would only take one slip up on Itachi or Soi-Fon's part to compromise their defenses and leave them open to being completely overwhelmed. The enemy could afford mistakes; the Soul Reapers couldn't.

As tense as his and Soi-Fon's situation was, though, Itachi knew that it paled in comparison to the ferocious brawl at the back of the chamber. At the center of a storm of white lighting and azure flames, Yoruichi and the wraith were duking it out with blinding speed and brutal power. Flash Stepping so often and so quickly that she was almost impossible to perceive, Squad Two's Captain struck at the source of Menar Issilaya's corruption from every possible angle. Right and left, low and high, and everything in between; she was seizing every possible opportunity to keep her foe on the backfoot. Itachi knew that he owed his life to her unrelenting assault against the wraith, for the gap in power between himself and the monstrosity was great. If it got a chance to attack him, he doubted that he'd be able to last for much longer than a brief exchange or two.

Yoruichi was certainly aware of that. While Itachi's attention had been focused on the wights, he hadn't failed to notice how her assault on the wraith would suddenly intensify whenever there was even a remote chance that the creature might try to break off from her and attack her subordinates instead. Itachi was grateful for the concern, but he wanted Yoruichi to focus solely on her fight and not worry about him. Just the few glances he'd been able to steal of the clash were more than enough to tell him that she was facing a very challenging foe, especially given that it was capable of regenerating from what should've been fatal damage. Yoruichi hadn't let that discourage her, but Itachi had to wonder just how long she could fight against such a foe.

Her Shikai was extraordinarily powerful, yet for all its might it wasn't giving her the strength needed to land the killing blow. Itachi had briefly wondered why she hadn't unleashed her Bankai in response to her foe's regenerative abilities, but it had only taken a moment for him to realize the answer to that question. Given the sheer amount of power her Shikai was giving off in the form of bolts of white lightning that she didn't appear to have complete control over, Itachi had to imagine that her Bankai likely amplified that raw might several times over. If she wasn't at least worried about possibly causing a structural collapse and endangering her subordinates with her Shikai, then Itachi was sure that she _had_ to have such concerns with regards to her Bankai.

Even if they weren't fighting in an enclosed environment, though, Itachi had to wonder if her Bankai would do the trick. There didn't seem to be a major discrepancy in power between the Captain and the wraith; the problem was the latter's damned regeneration. Rapidly healing foes weren't something Itachi was entirely unfamiliar with; he'd mixed it up with all sorts of enemies back in his Shinobi days, after all. There was always some sort of weak point or a trick to the healing that, once perceived, could be targeted.

 _Perception and power_ , he thought in growing frustration as he and Soi-Fon furiously fended off the next wave of wights, _We need a boost in both in order to change the tide here. We can't keep this up forever!_

The trio of Soul Reapers were starting to grow desperate. The fight was at a stalemate, but that ultimately favored the wraith and its unending horde of reinforcements. If a game-changer wasn't found damn quickly, then the situation would deteriorate.

Itachi's sword flashed through the air in a series of rapid strikes as he tore into another wave of wights, his speed fueled by a steadily increasing mixture of fear and anger. Fear of what would happen if they couldn't turn things around, and anger at his lack of the real power that was needed to aid Yoruichi and Soi-Fon. What good was he if all he could do was swing a sword and strike down minions while the woman who had given him a new sense of purpose and belonging fought alone against an abomination?

 _Perception and power…_

Those words kept echoing in his mind as he struggled to fend off a fresh horde of wights. He needed more of both, and he needed them _now_. Not for himself, but for the woman who had given him a chance at a second life.

For the woman who accepted him as he was despite knowing _all_ that he had done.

Now more than ever, he envied the power he'd possessed in his past life. If he could have just a _fraction_ of that now, it might be enough. For a long time, he'd wondered if the power of the Uchiha line was either a blessing or a curse, and had never settled on a concrete answer. That power had brought the clan to both glory and ruin, and while he'd hated the arrogance and bitterness it had inspired in his kinsmen Itachi also understood its potential to change the world for the better. It could destroy or defend; it was all in the user.

And right now, he wanted that power for the purpose of, above all else, fighting alongside and defending a woman who had become dearer to him in little more than six years of the afterlife than any other had during his first life.

 _ **About damn time.**_

Time slowed to a crawl, and the smiling spirit of his Zanpakutō appeared before him. He hadn't gone to his inner world; he was still in the chamber beneath the Moon Tower, still in the middle of the raging battle. All motion seemed to have halted though, and his vision was dominated by the woman clad in the black flames of Hell. Her crimson eyes bore right through him, and Itachi suspected that she had altered his perception of time with an illusion of sorts.

 _What do you mean?_

 _ **Perception and power are what you desire, and they are within your reach. They have**_ **always** _ **been within your reach; they are the birthright of your bloodline. For too long, though, you have doubted those traits. You saw what they drove your clan to do, and even while you used them yourself you appreciated the danger that they represented for you. When you passed from your old life to this one, part of you was glad when you awoke and realized you no longer possessed the Sharingan. Do not deny it.**_

 _That might've been the case then, but I didn't understand that I would still have need of its power in death. Things have changed since then._

 _ **They have, but part of your mind had not… not until your Captain began to liberate it. When you spoke to her of your past, you did far more than simply confess to murder; you bared your very heart and soul to her in a way that you've never done for anyone else. You let the light finally shine into a corner of your mind that had been shrouded in shadow for far too long. Do you remember what happened when you came to visit me after that conversation?**_

 _You mentioned evolution… that I stood on the precipice of the next step in my growth._

 _ **You did, and still do… and now is the time to**_ **take** _ **it. You can**_ **feel** _ **it now, can't you?**_

Itachi was taken aback when he realized that she was right. Perhaps it was the growing desperation of the fight that had triggered it, or his desire to protect Yoruichi, but either way there were two very distinct wellsprings of energy that he could sense, each growing stronger by the second. The first was coming from the sword in his hand, while the second…

…was coming from within his head.

Specifically, from his optic nerves.

Itachi _knew_ what that meant.

 _ **Fear the power of your clan no longer. You are not defined by them. Their follies and failings are not your own. You are Itachi Uchiha. You transcended the Curse of Hatred long ago; it holds no sway over you. Embrace the might of your bloodline… the perception and power that only**_ **you** _ **are worthy of!**_

That was when Itachi realized there was more than just a spike in spirit energy coming from his blade. Even as the spirit of his Zanpakutō spoke to him, the sword he held was practically _singing_ with excitement.

And he could hear _it_ now.

What he had sought for the past six years.

 _How fitting… I should've known._

 _ **Indeed. So, what are you waiting for?**_

 _ **Say it.**_

 _ **Say.**_

 _ **My.**_

 _ **NAME!**_

Time's flow began to speed up again; whatever spell she had cast over his perception was swiftly fading. As his consciousness fully returned to the fight that surrounded him, Itachi could feel his power rapidly swelling, and he knew _exactly_ what he had to do.

He raised his sword, his eyes narrowing as his vision became colored with flashes of crimson. "Purge through perdition's flames…"

"…Jigoku no Joō."

….

Even if she hadn't been fighting alongside him and heard the words, Soi-Fon would've recognized that spike in spiritual pressure anywhere… or at least, the _initial_ spike. She instantly knew that it was a Shikai release, yet there was more to it than that. The Zanpakutō wasn't the only source of energy here; there was another spike in power that was coming from within Itachi himself, one that felt quite different from the rising energy that typically accompanied one's first time unleashing a Shikai.

Normally Soi-Fon would be worried about the enemy taking advantage of any distraction on her part, but the wights had paused their assault. It was as if they were taking stock of this new potential threat, showing greater intelligence than their twisted and decayed features suggested. While still keeping her guard up, Soi-Fon felt reasonably safe in taking at least a brief glimpse at her comrade to fully evaluate his newly unleashed Shikai.

However, what first caught her attention when she turned to Itachi wasn't actually his Zanpakutō. Rather, it was Itachi himself.

Or, more specifically, his eyes.

No longer where they the cool and inscrutable onyx orbs that she had become accustomed to. Instead, both eyes were blazing crimson beacons. Black pupils were at the center of bloodred irises, and orbiting the pupil of each eye were three black tomoe. Soi-Fon had never seen anything like it, but even more startling than what she could perceive with her eyes was what she _felt_ ; the power emanating from them matched that which now flowed from his blade.

Forcing herself to look away from his eyes to evaluate the new shape of his Zanpakutō, Soi-Fon was floored by what she saw. She was a veteran Soul Reaper and had come across a fantastic variety of Shikais in her time, and had even been lucky enough to witness a handful of Bankais in action. Soi-Fon would never say she'd seen it all; that was an impossible statement to make given the nature of the Zanpakutō. Still, she'd at least thought that she'd seen enough as to have an idea of what to expect when a comrade unleashed their Shikai for the first time.

Clearly, at least in Itachi's case, she was quite wrong in that regard. Soi-Fon hadn't known exactly _what_ to expect when the young man finally reached that pivotal step in his growth as a Soul Reaper. The few times it had come up in conversation with her Captain, Yoruichi had simply smiled and said it would surely be something to look forward to. Soi-Fon hadn't quite shared the sentiment; sure, she'd been curious, but she didn't think that Itachi's Shikai would prove to be anything particularly noteworthy.

The weapon he held now very much wished to argue the contrary. It was unlike anything Soi-Fon had ever seen. Raised in Itachi's right hand was a black straight sword. The length of the weapon appeared to be about average, but that was the only normal thing she could find regarding his new sword. The style was vaguely reminiscent of bladed weapons she'd seen while on missions to the continent called Europe in the Realm of the Living known as Terra, but only in that the sword had two edges instead of the traditional single curved edge found on most sealed Zanpakutō. Running down the blade itself from hilt to end was a very slender gap, so thing that it was almost impossible to perceive at first glance. Due to this gap, the sword actually ended in two points that were incredibly close together rather than a normal single tip.

The blade itself wasn't the only unusual aspect of the weapon. The guard of Itachi's Zanpakutō resembled a set of down-swept raven's wings, intricately carved to the point that Soi-Fon could actually make out detailed feather-patterns in the metalwork. Design-wise, the handle itself was quite straightforward, consisting of black metal with grips carved into it that perfectly matched Itachi's fingers. At the very center where the handle and the guard met, a circle was flanked by the two previously mentioned raven's wings. Its base was crimson, but what really caught Soi-Fon's attention was the pattern. Just like Itachi's eyes, this circle had three black tomoe orbiting a 'pupil' of sorts.

She briefly wondered if it was just a melee-type Zanpakutō, but she was quickly proven wrong when the slender slit running down the center of the sword lit up with crimson flames. Streams of them quickly began flying from the sword, and on closer inspection Soi-Fon realized that they were actually in the shape of birds. A few dozen at first… then scores… then hundreds… and the number kept on rapidly climbing. They flocked above and around Itachi and Soi-Fon, and while their proximity should've made her nervous, she actually felt reassured by their presence. It helped that she could sense Itachi's spirit energy within them.

"Soi-Fon," said Itachi, "I know it's not my place to give orders to you, but I have a plan."

The wights still appeared to be paused as they continued to asses this new threat, so now was as good a time for a strategy talk as any. "Let's hear it."

"Drop back behind me," he said, "I'll keep the wights occupied. Strike the anchoring crystals as soon as you get an opening. Once the portal collapses and the flow of wights ceases, we'll go help Yoruichi."

In other circumstances she would've chastised him for referring to her master by just her first name, but they had far more pressing concerns at the moment than simple impropriety. "Are you sure you can hold them off by yourself?"

"Yes," Itachi answered with cool confidence.

Soi-Fon knew they couldn't afford hesitation right now; she would have to trust him. "All right. Let's do this."

Itachi nodded, his eyes narrowing as he fixed the wights with a withering gaze. "Begin."

And with that, the fireworks were underway.

….

After having gone without its awesome power for over six years, Itachi was almost stricken with sensory overload when his Sharingan had fully manifested. This wasn't like the first time he had awakened it all those years ago; the flow of energy coursing through his eyes was so strong that he instantly knew it had manifested with all three tomoe right off the bat. Had it been the same for Shisui when he had regained his Sharingan? Itachi had forgotten to press him on the details. It was a moot point in any case. All that mattered was that he had awakened the power of his bloodline alongside that of his Zanpakutō, and it was time to put both through their paces.

The flocks of flaming crimson birds flowing from his sword were swirling around him, waiting for orders. Itachi understood now why his Sharingan and Shikai had to be unlocked together; the enhanced perception of the former would be required in order to bring out the full potential of the latter. He could sense his spirit energy flowing through each individual bird, but he wasn't entirely sure how to control them.

 _ **They'll respond to your intent**_ , the spirit of his Zanpakutō advised him, _**Simple gestures with either the sword or your free hand will serve as general guides, although eventually you should be able to do it by thought alone.**_

With a fresh wave of wights rapidly approaching, Itachi knew that he would have to learn on his feet. This would be a trial by fire… quite literally so. Raising his Zanpakutō in his right hand, he made a broad sweep with the blade while making a chopping motion with his left hand. The response was immediate; the majority of the flock surged forward, sweeping across the front ranks of the wights and stopping them dead in their tracks. A smaller group of crimson firebirds briefly climbed towards the ceiling before suddenly diving right into the heart of the horde.

The effect was devastating. Since this was no ordinary fire but a blaze powered by Itachi's spirit energy, it swept over the wights and burnt them to cinders. Those that were able to stumble free from the flames were easy targets for the sword, and Itachi cut them down without mercy. Meanwhile, fresh birds of crimson flame were already spawning from the slit running down the center of the blade, taking flight and awaiting orders.

With a moment of respite before the new wights spawning from the portal would be able to close the distance, Itachi decided to experiment with his Shikai. Waving the sword in a broad circular motion, he saw the flocks of crimson firebirds respond by rushing forward and encircling both the portal and the wights coming out of it. The circle swiftly constricted, and once again the bulk of the wights were consumed by fire. Flash Stepping forward, Itachi quickly finished off the survivors with quick thrusts of his blade.

 _Good for crowd control_ , he mused as he withdrew his sword from the dissolving remains of the last wight and pulled back to allow more birds to spawn, _and that's just one of_ many _potential applications…_

As more wights spawned from the portal, Itachi decided to experiment with another approach. Gesturing both with his free hand and waving his sword almost like a conductor's baton, he organized the fresh firebirds emanating from his Zanpakutō into several small flocks of just a dozen or so flaming creatures each. He then focused on the incoming wights with his Sharingan, identifying individual targets and rapidly assigning them to specific flocks. With his orders issued through both intent and quick motions from his sword and free hand, the flocks surged forward. Each one swarmed an individual wight, concentrating particularly on assaulting their target's head. The wights thrashed about wildly, leaving themselves wide open for a direct attack from Itachi.

Said attack was swift and deadly. Flash Stepping forward again, Itachi's black blade danced through the air. Guided by both trained instincts and the keen perception of the Sharingan, Itachi's swordsmanship was devastating. Every strike resulted in a kill, and his victims could do nothing about it since his flocks of flaming birds were pecking at their eyes and clawing at their scalps. He moved like a shadowy phantom amongst the flames, swiftly and silently cutting the monstrosities down.

Soi-Fon's voice suddenly rang out from behind him. "Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"

Taking a quick glance over his shoulder, he saw a wave of blue-white light shoot forth from her open palm. Her aim was true, and this time there were no wights in position to take the hit; the blast of spirit energy slammed into one of the four anchor crystals by the entrance, shattering the stone in a brilliant burst of azure light. Itachi's gaze immediately went back to the threat ahead, and while the portal was still up and running, thanks to the Sharingan he was able to perceive some fluctuation in its energy as the remaining three crystals struggled to compensate for the loss of the fourth.

 _Good_ , he thought, resisting the urge to smile, _I imagine the stress on the portal will amplify considerably if she can take out another one. Perhaps that alone will be enough to take it out. I just need to keep the attention of the wights on me, and she'll have the rest taken care of in short order._

Thanks to the abilities of his Shikai, that wasn't hard to do. Backing off to give himself some space, he allowed his sword to spawn fresh flocks of flaming crows. The portal wasn't idle during this, of course; new wights were already stumbling through, and Itachi would have to contend with them quickly in order to ensure that Soi-Son had a clear shot at her next target. Fortunately for him, his Zanpakutō was proving capable of replenishing spent firebirds quite quickly. A few hundred were already airborne, and that number was still climbing. Itachi didn't know what the maximum limit was; he resolved to discover that through training once this mission was over.

He decided against trying anything too fancy this time. With a broad swing of his sword, he sent his flock forth to meet the spawning wights head-on. As the wave of crimson crows crashed against the front ranks of the abominations, Itachi rushed forward to capitalize on the impact. Black blade flashing through the air, the precision of his strikes enhanced by the Sharingan, Itachi cut a swath through the seared and crisped survivors of his opening firebird attack.

Another flash of blue-white light came from behind him, and he heard Soi-Fon's attack impact another crystal and shatter it. This time, the energy fluctuation in the portal appeared to be serious, to the point that Itachi probably could've perceived it without the aid of the Sharingan. Its outer borders twisted and writhed, yet it still was able to maintain cohesion, albeit with visible difficulty. One more strike from Soi-Fon would probably do the trick, and Itachi was determined to make sure she had the opening for it.

Rather than falling back again, this time he stuck close to the portal and attempted to cut down the wights as quickly as they spawned. Despite the combined boost in power from both his Shikai and the Sharingan, though, he was unable to quite match the pace that the portal could spit out the monstrosities at. That didn't matter, though; even as he'd been plunging his sword into freshly spawned wights, new crimson crows had been taking flight from the gap in his blade. They fluttered about above him in scattered flocks, waiting for orders.

Itachi didn't waste any time in issue those orders. Continuing to cut down wights with the blade in his right hand, with his left he made a series of quick downward gestures. The response from the blazing crows was swift and deadly; they immediately dived straight into the wights, setting alight several that had been trying to surround Itachi and take him down for good. With his opposition thoroughly in disarray, the Sixteenth Seat got right back to what he'd been doing before; cutting down stragglers with ruthless efficiency.

That was when Soi-Fon let fly with a third Sōkatsui, and like clockwork a third anchor crystal exploded in a flash of azure light. For a moment Itachi feared it might still not be enough, but as he focused on the portal with his Sharingan he saw that the destabilization had definitely become fatal. Arcs of energy flew wildly about, forcing him to pull back towards Soi-Fon. A handful of wights still managed to slip out, but the portal was in its death throes. It ultimately went out not with a bang, but a whimper, collapsing in on itself and vanishing a few moments later into a few specs of light, and then nothing at all.

Itachi and Soi-Fon both charged forward, finishing off the remaining wights quickly and quietly. Not only had the portal collapsed, but the barrier sealing the chamber had dissipated as well with the destruction of those key anchoring crystals. However, the thought of leaving was the last thing on either Soul Reaper's minds, even if would've been to go grab reinforcements.

The two of them locked gazes and nodded simultaneously. No words were needed. Their Captain was still locked in deadly combat with a powerful foe, and now they could finally lend a hand.

….

Although she had certainly sensed the glorious twin spikes in spirit pressure that she knew signaled the awakening of Itachi's Shikai and Sharingan, Yoruichi hadn't been able to steal so much as a glance at her Sixteenth Seat. While her confidence had been bolstered thanks to the fact that Itachi's very well-timed power boost would significantly aid both himself and Soi-Fon, that still didn't alter her immediate situation. Her foe was still going strong, and Yoruichi had yet to find a way to counter that damned regenerative ability it had.

She was still on the offensive, but her attacks had become more measured as the clash had worn on. The last thing Yoruichi could afford to do was exhaust herself against such a powerful opponent, not only for her sake but also for that of her subordinates as well. She still struck with blinding speed, but her punches and kicks were made with an eye towards conserving her energy and keeping the enemy at bay while she attempted to formulate a strategy to finish him off.

That, of course, was far easier said than done. The wraith couldn't hope to match her speed, but its power and combat skill were more than enough to make up for that deficiency. Its counterattacks were strong, and despite the mighty gauntlets that were her Zanpakutō's Shikai she had to be careful when blocking them in order to make sure they didn't damage her weapons. Between the mighty swings of its blade and the concentrated bursts of sinister flames it liked to unleash, her foe was more than capable of keeping Yoruichi on her toes.

Blocking the wraith's sword with her left gauntlet, she immediately countered with a right hook that nailed the monstrosity right in the face. She had the satisfaction of both feeling and seeing the abomination's face momentarily cave in thanks to the power of the blow, but once again its stretched skin and pale skull quickly regenerated. The thing looked more pissed off than hurt, although Yoruichi thought it didn't have any room to complain; if any other kind of foe had taken that hit it would _definitely_ be dead.

She was going to press her assault even further but was surprised to hear Soi-Fon suddenly cry out from behind her. "Lady Yoruichi, pull back now!"

It wasn't like Soi-Fon to give her orders, which meant something else was up. Placing her faith in her bodyguard, Yoruichi immediately put some distance between her and the wraith courtesy of a Flash Step. The wraith might not have been as fast as her, but she knew it wouldn't take long for the creature to get back in her face again.

That was when a huge flock of flaming crimson birds flew around Yoruichi from behind. She couldn't get an accurate count, but at first glance she guessed that there had to be at least several hundred of them. What mattered more than their numbers, though, was the spirit energy she could feel in them; it was definitely Itachi's. She saw the swarm of birds rapidly engulf the wraith, either diving directly at it or pecking and clawing at its face. Surrounded by a horde of angry firebirds, the wraith lashed out wildly with its sword. Yoruichi guessed that it would cut through the swarm in short order, but at least she had a moment or two to prepare.

With her opponent at least temporarily occupied, she finally felt safe in stealing a glance at Itachi. It quickly became apparent that her earlier restraint had been wise, because what she saw and sensed now that she could properly focus on him took her breath away.

There he was, black sword in hand and calmly striding forward. More birds of crimson flame were taking flight from the thin gap that ran down the blade of his Zanpakutō, flying above and around Itachi and Soi-Fon. The blood-red circle in the guard of his sword glowed with an eerie light, and while Yoruichi might've been curious about it under other circumstances she quickly realized that it was just a sideshow compared to what she saw when she focused on Itachi himself.

Even with what he had told her during their conversation in the hidden training ground, Yoruichi realized that she still hadn't been prepared for the sight that would greet her when Itachi finally awakened his Sharingan. Now he had, and she was actually at a loss for words. His eyes were a pair of shining rubies, irises a sea of crimson whose depths felt endless. The three tomoe orbiting each pupil seemed to call to her, inviting her to get lost in his gaze. The entirely display was captivating, no, downright _entrancing_. If she'd known that Itachi would look anything like this when the power of his bloodline returned to him, she would've been pushing him to unlock it _much_ sooner.

She felt like she _had_ to say something, but it was very difficult for her to find something that felt remotely adequate for the dazzling sight before her. In the end, she could only find one word that came even close to matching what she felt.

" _Beautiful…_ " she murmured, almost completely unaware of the heat rushing to her face.

Yes… beautiful in a manner that was beyond anything she had ever seen before. They were far more than just eyes of an exotic color. To Yoruichi, with Itachi's gaze upon her, they felt like lenses that allowed his sight to pierce right to the heart of one's very soul.

What did he see now when he looked upon her with the eyes that had brought his clan both power and ruin? How did he perceive her with those luminous and enchanting crimson orbs? She wanted very much to know, but unfortunately now was hardly the time to be asking such questions. Her Shikai still had that habit of shooting off bolts of white lightning even when she wasn't fighting, and now Itachi and Soi-Fon were well within range. If she wanted to make sure her subordinates didn't fall victim to friendly fire then she needed to reassert her concentration right away.

Soi-Fon was heedless of any potential harm from Yoruichi's Shikai, so great was her concern for her charge. "Lady Yoruichi, are you all right?"

To his credit, Itachi didn't seem all that worried either, and this was despite the fact that Yoruichi knew his Sharingan could easily tell him just how volatile the spirit energy of her Shikai was. "Sorry it took us so long back there."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't worry about it. You two did well. How long can you keep that thing at bay like this?"

Itachi shook his head. "Not long. It's far too powerful for my Shikai to pin it for good. Still, this is all we need. I stole a few glimpses at your fight earlier; I know this thing can regenerate. I think I can help you counter it."

That was certainly encouraging, and Yoruichi wondered what he had up his sleeve. "How?"

"When it breaks free of my Shikai, engage it," he said, "I'll hang back and observe with my Sharingan. Regeneration isn't a power that comes for free; something has to be fueling it, and I should be able to narrow it down."

Yoruichi grinned as she put the rest together. "And once you find our exact target, we'll hammer it with everything we've got. I like it!"

"I'll fight it with you, Lady Yoruichi," said Soi-Fon, "I know I can't take it head-on, so I'll strike from the flanks and keep it off balance."

Yoruichi could tell that her bodyguard was determined; no amount of effort on her part would be enough to persuade her to hang back. "All right. Just don't do anything stupid. I want us all to get out of here alive so we can brag about this over drinks later, you got that?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "Understood."

She turned to Itachi. "Are you ready?"

"I don't have a choice," he replied as he looked ahead, "I can't hold it down any longer."

Following his gaze, Yoruichi saw that the wraith had finally gotten the upper hand. Bursts of icy blue fire pulsed out from it, driving back the crimson firebirds that had been assailing it. A few more broad swings of its sword were enough to scatter the last of them, reducing them to sparks and embers that died as they hit the floor. The abomination locked its twisted and hateful gaze on Yoruichi; it was more than ready for round two.

Well, so was she. Fresh sparks of white lightning crackled between her gauntlets as she allowed her spirit energy to flow freely again. She had her subordinates backing her up now; this thing had no idea what was about to hit it.

A predatory grin appeared on her face. "Let's do this."

….

He'd thought that he had grown used to her speed, but Yoruichi was still incredibly difficult for Itachi to follow once she made a Flash Step. Even with the aid of the Sharingan he could barely perceive her motion as little more than a blur. Soi-Fon was easier to track, but even then, her speed was nothing to sneeze at. While Yoruichi was moving to attack the wraith head-on, Soi-Fon was angling to the left, looking to get in a strike from the flank while her Captain drew the enemy's attention.

Focusing his gaze on the wraith, Itachi's eyes narrowed as he searched for the target that would be key to victory. In theory he knew what he was looking for; any source of energy that could be fueling the wraith's regenerative abilities. However, what that might look like in practice was difficult to determine. The wraith's twisted and malicious spirit energy was unlike anything he'd sensed before, and while he could perceive it with the Sharingan he had to work to make sense of it. It was the kind of task that a member of the Hyūga Clan would likely be more adept at than an Uchiha, but Itachi's experience with the eyes of his bloodline was more than enough to allow him to adapt to the job at hand.

In the eyes that had won his clan both renown and infamy, there was a marked contrast between the spirit energy of his comrades and that of the wraith. Both Yoruichi and Soi-Fon appeared as fountains of light, their spirit energy flowing outward in constant and consistent waves. The wraith, on the other hand, was surrounded in a violent and unpredictable tempest of dark power. In fact, the more Itachi concentrated on it, the more he realized that this spirit energy didn't have a unified feel to it. Sure, there was the suffocating corruption, but even that seemed to have some form of variance to it.

 _Almost like it's flowing from multiple sources instead of one…_

After a moment of consideration, he changed his approach. Maybe there _was_ more than one source for this tainted spirit energy he was trying to understand. In fact, as he continued to focus on it, Itachi began to suspect that he was looking at it all wrong. The wraith _wasn't_ the source of this tumultuous mix of tainted spirit energy. Not directly, at least.

As Yoruichi clashed with the wraith, hammering it with a series of blindingly fast and powerful punches, the wraith's regeneration kicked in thanks to one particular blow from the Captain damn near tearing the abomination's left arm off. That was when Itachi detected not one, not two, but _three_ distinct spikes in spirit energy, each coming from a source that was _on_ the wraith but not necessarily the wraith itself.

 _It has an amplifier_ , he realized, _Something it's_ wearing _is what's really behind its power!_

He knew what to look for now, but he still had to narrow down the exact target if he was going to be of any use to Yoruichi and Soi-Fon. Not only that, but he had to do it quickly. Yoruichi had the wraith's attention and had already proven more than capable of holding her own against this foe, but Soi-Fon was another matter. She was fast and strong, but Itachi knew that there was a damn good reason why Yoruichi originally had wanted to face the wraith on her own. When one compared Soi-Fon's spirit energy to that of the wraith, it was instantly apparent which was more powerful, and it wasn't Soi-Fon. Not by a longshot.

She had already moved around the flank, and another Flash Step brought her into striking range. Her attack was swift and precise, thrusting her sword into the wraith's side. The move definitely got the wraith's attention, but any damage it might've done was outweighed by her foe's sheer fury at her sneak attack. Soi-Fon's eyes widened slightly as she detected another spike in spirit energy, and she was barely able to pull her blade out of the wraith in time to deflect its counterattack. The force behind the blow was considerable, and if she hadn't already been moving back to bleed off some of the force the attack could've broken through her guard. It was an extremely close call, and one that Itachi didn't want to risk happening again; they had to end this fight _quickly_.

 _Focus_ , he told himself, _Concentrate on one aspect of this thing's energy at a time and trace it back to its source. Isolate one, and the others will be that much easier to deal with._

Pushing his newly awakened Sharingan, Itachi watched intently as Yoruichi launched a fresh assault, determined to get the wraith's attention back on her and away from Soi-Fon. She let fly with a series of punches and kicks, and Itachi patiently waited for one of her blows to land hard enough to trigger the wraith's regeneration. It didn't take long; blocking a sword strike with her left gauntlet, Yoruichi countered with a punch from her right that ripped apart the left jaw of the wraith. Right on cue, the brutally torn flesh began to mend itself, and this time Itachi was able to seize upon the fresh flow of corrupted spirit energy and follow it back to where it came from; the ring on the wraith's

Now that he had one part of the wraith's spirit energy figured out, he could focus on the others and trace them back to where they came. It didn't take long; one current led to the crown on the wraith's head, and once he'd isolated that one it was a simple matter to single out the last remaining unknown variant of spirit energy. The strands from this one led to the amulet that hung from the creature's neck. The ring, crown and amulet; he had identified them before the fight had even started, yet Itachi had failed to understand their true significance. All three were working in concert, providing the power behind both the wraith's raw strength and its regenerative abilities. They weren't just accessories or amplifiers, but the heart of the wraith's frightening power.

And with that, Itachi knew he'd found the key to victory.

The whole time he'd been studying the wraith with his Sharingan, more flaming crimson crows had continued to fly forth from his Zanpakutō. They'd been idly circling overhead as Itachi had searched for the enemy's weakness, waiting for orders. There were several hundred of them already, and that number was growing with each passing second.

Now it was time to put them to use.

….

It was invigorating to fight alongside her bodyguard again, even if it meant Soi-Fon was exposing herself to a foe that was far more powerful than her. For Yoruichi, that was all the greater motivation to be aggressive in this clash; the more the wraith focused on her, the less of a threat it would be to her subordinate. At the same time, though, she was holding back to a degree. After all, it wouldn't do to burn through her energy reserves before Itachi finally found this thing's weakness. So here she was, walking a thin line with a fierce but measured assault, hammering the enemy where she could while remaining mindful of the big picture. It wasn't the first time she'd been in a situation where she had to play for time, but never had she faced a foe quite like this one before.

 _Come on, Itachi_ , she thought as she blocked a powerful overhand sword strike with her gauntlets before countering with a hard kick at her opponent's torso, _I'm counting on you._

It was a shame that their foe was one that demanded such concentration from her; she wanted time to properly observe Itachi's Sharingan and Shikai in action. She liked to understand all that her subordinates were really capable of, but Itachi was a special case. After all, thanks to what she now knew regarding his past, she understood what regaining his Sharingan really meant to him. It wasn't just a hereditary trait or a weapon to supplement his Shikai; it was the source of not only his clan's power, but also its fall to ruin. She trusted Itachi to keep his mind on the mission at hand, but she was sure that once this was over, he would need to take some time to process everything. After all, these were the eyes that had played such a central role in the slaughter of his clan.

The wraith had been slightly driven back by the force behind her kick, and Soi-Fon seized the opportunity to strike. Leaping so high into the air that her feet touched the ceiling, she then proceeded to use it as a spring board, Flash Stepping and coming down at the wraith from above, driving her Zanpakutō into the monstrosity's neck. The blade plunged in deep, but she had to pull it out quickly; the wraith was already swinging its sword at her, and Soi-Fon was only narrowly able to duck beneath the blow and retreat. The abomination fixed her with a vicious gaze, hatred burning in its eyes as it moved to attack her.

Yoruichi would have none of that. "Eyes over here, bastard!"

The wraith barely managed to swing around in time to block her strike. Yoruichi wasn't about to let the creature off that easy. She hammered it with a barrage of powerful blows, fists and feet flying while blasts of white lightning shot from her gauntlets and arced over the abomination's armor. It was certainly enough to get the wraith's attention back on her, and it countered with a series of swift and powerful sword strikes that forced Yoruichi onto the defensive.

As she was bracing to block another blow, she saw the wraith's gaze suddenly shift past her. She didn't think it was possible, but the creature's eyes actually widened, and for the first time she caught a hint of something in its gaze that wasn't cruel hatred or malice.

It was _fear_.

That was when she sensed the surging spiritual pressure behind her. She knew it was Itachi, but even so she was still amazed by what she was feeling. Soul Reapers always experienced a significant spike in power when they unleashed their Shikai for the first time, but thanks to the Sharingan Itachi's awakening was something else entirely. His power was now _much_ greater than his current rank suggested…

…and it was _still_ climbing.

She heard him drop into Shunpo and knew what was coming, so she sidestepped to the right and gave him the opening he needed. Sure enough, he appeared a moment later, his black blade falling in a fast and powerful overhand strike. The wraith quickly brought its sword up to block the blow, but Yoruichi didn't fail to notice that its gaze was now locked onto Itachi's blazing crimson eyes, and that fear she'd detected a moment ago was quite visible.

There was a sudden onrush of heat, and before Yoruichi knew it she, Itachi, Soi-Fon and the wraith were surrounded by what a swarm of crimson flaming crows. She had no time to try to count them, but even at a glance she knew was sure that the number had to be close to a thousand now. Itachi was clearly putting his Shikai through its paces, and it made Yoruichi all the more eager to find some time to train with him later to see just what else it was capable of.

Of course, the current fight came first, and Itachi wasted no time in sharing some critical information. "The crown, the amulet, and the ring. If we destroy them, we win."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed as she sought out the items he'd mentioned, her mind quickly filling in the blanks; he must've detected them as the sources of the energy that fueled the wraith's regeneration. "Got it!"

The wraith wasn't about to let them strategize right in front of it, of course. Itachi's blade had only been locked with its own for a few seconds, but the creature was pressing back hard, and despite his newfound power the Sixteenth Seat lacked the raw might to stand up to it in a straight-up fight. Fortunately, Itachi clearly recognized his peril and reacted accordingly.

"Get back," he said, his voice remarkably calm given the kind of foe he was facing.

Yoruichi and Soi-Fon did so, with Itachi joining them a second later. The wraith moved to follow, but with a wave of his sword and a few quick gestures with his left hand Itachi swiftly brought his swarm of firebirds into the fray. They charged the wraith from all sides, and Yoruichi saw that they were concentrating particularly on the wraith's head.

"I'll take the crown," he said.

Yoruichi nodded. "I'll hit the amulet."

"Ring's mine, then," Soi-Fon chimed in.

Yoruichi smirked. "Now that we got that sorted out, let's get to work!"

Itachi made a series of circular motions with his sword and his free hand. The crimson flaming crows that were assaulting the wraith now organized themselves into a series of rings that quickly constricted around the creature. They weren't enough to actually bind it in place, but they did limit its range of motion. Yoruichi didn't know how long the effect would last, but she did recognize the opportunity Itachi had given them and immediately seized it.

They'd already identified their targets, and Yoruichi knew that she'd claimed the toughest. The amulet was clearly visible, but the wraith's defensive swordsmanship had been focused on protecting its center of mass, meaning that it was prepared to ward off any strikes at the target she was aiming for. Yoruichi didn't know how much power would be required to destroy the amulet or the other two targets for that matter, and with Itachi and Soi-Fon fighting alongside her she had to be careful to keep her Shikai's volatile spirit energy under control to avoid potentially hurting them.

That was when she noticed something unusual. Fresh birds of crimson flame had spawned from Itachi's Zanpakutō, but they weren't going for the wraith. Rather, they formed two small flocks that briefly surrounded Yoruichi before focusing in on her arms. They seemed to settle around her gauntlets, and when an errant white spark flew out it was caught and dispersed amongst the flaming crows. A few of them disappeared, but others quickly came to take their place.

Yoruichi couldn't help but smile as she glanced at Itachi and gave him an approving nod. He'd already familiarized himself enough with her Shikai to understand one of its drawbacks and had planned accordingly, creating a layer of flame coursing with his spirit energy that provided a measure of insulation. It wasn't perfect; in terms of raw power Yoruichi was far stronger than him, which meant that if her spirit energy built up sufficiently those errant bolts would eventually be mighty enough to punch through his flocks of flaming birds. Still, it was a nice bit of improvisation, and the flames would also complement her punches quite nicely.

 _ **You've always had a thing for the clever ones**_ , Inazuma On'na teased.

Yoruichi wouldn't argue with that.

With the layer of spirit energy-infused flames acting as both an insulator and a conduit, her power flowed towards her fists. Now that she had at least a few seconds where she didn't have to worry about harming either of her subordinates, she could cut loose. Meeting the wraith's hateful gaze, she gave it a taunting grin as she charged forward.

 _You've defiled this place long enough. I know you've come back from death before, but we're going to make sure you_ stay _dead_ this _time!_

….

With Yoruichi taking the enemy head-on, Itachi knew that he now had a window of opportunity to strike his target. When he'd locked gazes with the wraith the creature had seemed unnerved by his Sharingan, but when it had focused on Yoruichi it had been impossible to miss the sheer hatred and malice in its eyes. He didn't know why it seemed to reserve such venom for his Captain alone, but he wasn't above taking advantage of it. Itachi could only hope that he'd get some answers from Yoruichi once the mission was over.

Flash Stepping to the right, Itachi angled for a flank attack on his foe. He saw Soi-Fon doing the same, but she had moved to the left in order to get a better shot at the ring. Wanting to make sure he had the power needed to destroy the crown, Itachi decided to try something new with his Shikai. Rather than letting the crimson flaming crows flow freely from the sword, he concentrated on limiting the amount that were released. He would let just enough out that they could continue to sheath Yoruichi's Shikai and limit the potential for friendly fire, while the rest he would hold back within that thin gap than ran the length of the blade.

Sure enough, it didn't take long to feel the difference. The power within the blade quickly began to build up, along with the heat emanating from it. Itachi realized that the situation he'd created was akin to a pressure cooker; his power was now concentrated rather than spread out, but he was sure that there was a limit to how long he could bottle it up like this. Eventually it would require an outlet, otherwise… well, he didn't want to think about what he could end up doing to himself in the middle of a fight like this.

 _Concentrate only on the mission. All else is secondary._

His Sharingan was focused squarely on the crown as he searched for the best place to strike. Dark and corrupt spirit energy swirled around it, but Itachi soon found that it was concentrated in a single dark blue gem at the very front of the crown. If he could land a blow there, the flow of power would be disrupted, perhaps fatally so.

He saw Yoruichi unleash a furious assault, hammering the wraith from the front and forcing it to concentrate all its defensive efforts on fending her off. There was a sense of desperation to its defense that hadn't been there before, and if Itachi were a betting man his money would be on the creature realizing exactly where Yoruichi was aiming.

 _Now!_

He put everything he had into his Flash Step and moved faster than he ever had in his life. His sword was already raised and poised to attack, and the instant he was in range he thrust his blade forward. The flames he'd been containing in his Zanpakutō were released and shot out as a concentrated lance of crimson power. That power's aim was true, striking the gem dead center and cracking it.

The wraith violently spasmed as a rush of icy blue energy shot out of the stricken gem in a great pulse. Tremors rippled through the creature from head to toe, to the point that the monstrosity actually lost its grip on its sword. Seizing the opening, Yoruichi thrust her right hand forward and grabbed the amulet, crushing it in her gauntlet just as the last of the crimson flaming crows that had wreathed her arms dissipated in a blast of white lightning. Simultaneously, Soi-Fon made her move, and the blade of her Zanpakutō pierced the ring on the Wraith's right hand.

A great shriek rang out, an utterly ear-splitting wail of torment that would've caused lesser warriors to drop their weapons and clutch their heads in agony. The three Soul Reapers had greater discipline than that, but even so it was difficult for them to maintain their footing and guard. Their determination to put their foe down once and for all was stronger, though, and they pressed their attack. With the crown having shattered from the sudden release of power, Itachi's sword plunged into the wraith's skull. At the same time, Yoruichi hammered the creature with a vicious second strike, with her fist punching into the wraith's chest so hard it actually came out the other side. Just to make sure they finished the job, Soi-Fon thrust her sword into the wraith's neck.

Fresh tremors ran through the wraith, and the entire chamber began to shake as its spirit energy ran rampant. The three of them withdrew their weapons and Flash Stepped away, and not a moment too soon. With the three artifacts amplifying and regulating its spirit energy destroyed, that power was now cascading uncontrollably and ripping the wraith apart from the inside. Fissures appeared in what was left of its chest and face, rapidly multiplying as sparks of energy shot out from them. The wraith turned its mangled visage towards the three Soul Reapers, spiting them with one last look of seething hatred before it was consumed by a blast of brilliant white light.

All three of them had to shield their eyes, and even then, the glare was so bad that Itachi almost reflexively deactivated his Sharingan. When it finally faded to the point that the Sixteenth Seat and his companions could see clearly again, all that remained of the wraith was a few particles of blue-white spirit energy floating in thin air, and even those dissipated after just a couple of seconds.

Itachi sighed as he lowered his sword. "It's over."

Soi-Fon nodded numbly, clearly still trying to process it all. "Yeah… it is."

He felt Yoruichi's spirit energy dial back as the Captain deactivated her Shikai. Sheathing her Zanpakutō, she gave a long and hard look at where the wraith had been just moments ago. Something was clearly bothering her despite their victory, and Itachi could only guess as what it might be.

Her serious expression gave way to a smile a few seconds later, though, and soon enough she was practically beaming as she regarded her subordinates. " _Very_ well done, both of you! You went beyond my expectations and then some!"

A blush quickly appeared on Soi-Fon's face. "Lady Yoruichi…"

The Captain then turned to Itachi, and her smile grew even further when her eyes met his. Itachi was actually a bit taken aback by this gesture; she knew that he could potentially ensnare her in an illusion even with just the basic Sharingan, yet she would still look him in the eye while he had it activated without hesitation. It was a sign of her trust in him.

In that moment, that trust meant more to him than the very eyes he had just awakened.

"My, _my_ ," she said with a wink, although even as Itachi felt the heat rush to his face he thought he detected just a hint of a blush on Yoruichi's dark cheeks as well, "Itachi… if I'd known you'd look like _this_ when you got your Sharingan back, I would've pressed you to regain it _much_ sooner. The Shikai's not bad either, by the way!"

Soi-Fon looked back and forth between the two of them. "Lady Yoruichi, did you know about… well, _this?_ "

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. Sorry to keep it from you, Soi-Fon, but I made a promise to Itachi when he told me about what his eyes could become. I'd like for you to keep what you're seeing here between the three of us. Can I count on you to do that?"

Soi-Fon's response came without hesitation. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi."

Itachi gave them both a small smile as his eyes returned to normal and he deactivated his Shikai. "Thank you, both of you. I won't forget your consideration in this matter."

Yoruichi gave him a playful punch on the shoulder as he sheathed his sword. "Train with me with those eyes and that Shikai of yours activated, and we'll call it even! You put on one hell of a show today!"

Itachi allowed himself a smirk. "You weren't so bad yourself. Your Shikai's quite formidable, and I can see why you don't train with it in the barracks; with that kind of power, we'd have to reinforce the place just to keep you from destroying it by accident."

Yoruichi laughed. "Caught that, didn't you? Yeah, she's a bit temperamental! It definitely takes some work to keep her under control. You did a pretty good job at helping to contain her outbursts, though. Nice thinking with the flame sheath. Ordinary fire wouldn't have done the trick, but the spirit energy you put into your flames really helped."

"Speaking of spirit energy," said Soi-Fon as she looked past Itachi and Yoruichi, "check out the room."

Looking around, Itachi realized that the twisted energy that had permeated the place was rapidly dissipating. It really had been maintained by the wraith's presence alone, and Itachi was very grateful that the creature had not deigned to leave Menar Issilaya and inflict such corruption upon another part of the Soul Society. However, the fading energy also meant that the group was rapidly losing light, and soon they would be in complete darkness.

Fortunately, Soi-Fon was ready to rectify the problem. "Bakudō 3: Hakkō Gaido!"

A small blue white orb appeared and was hovering over Soi-Fon's head a few moments later. Itachi and Yoruichi both followed her lead, and between the three of them they gained a modest amount of illumination in the otherwise darkened chamber. No longer polluted by the tainted energy of the wraith, it was now little more than an empty tomb.

Itachi had more important things on his mind than architecture, though. "You called that thing a wraith earlier, and its minions were wights, yes? What's their true nature? They're not like anything I've seen in the Soul Society since I arrived here."

Soi-Fon looked nervously at the Captain. "Lady Yoruichi… should we?"

Yoruichi gave a curt nod, her brow furrowing. "I promise we'll fill you in once we're clear of this place, but our mission's not over yet. We need to regroup with the others first and make sure everyone's all right. Once we've fully accounted for everyone and fallen back to camp, I'll tell you everything."

Itachi knew she was right; the history lesson could wait until they were all safe. "Understood."

….

Another wave of crimson energy shot forth from Benihime, disintegrating the latest wave of wights to come pouring out of the portal. Dropping back to give himself a moment to catch his breath, Kisuke let Rija step in to take his place. Sure enough, fresh reinforcements were already pouring out of the portal, but an arc of lighting from the Fifteenth Seat's Shikai stopped them dead in their tracks. That was when Mindiwo attacked from the right flank, letting fly with an orange sphere that flew forth and exploded in the middle of the enemy horde, reducing them to mere particles of spirit energy.

The blast only offered a temporary reprieve; still more wights were already pouring forth, and Mindiwo's Zanpakutō needed to recharge after an attack like that. Fortunately, Katya was ready to pick up the slack. Squad Two's Sixth Seat sprang forward, twirling Shimo no Hebi in a series of graceful arcs as she intercepted the next wave. Those that weren't cut down outright found themselves caked in frost, with their movements hampered enough to make them easy targets for Katya's elegant follow-up strikes.

How much longer did they have to keep this up? They'd developed a good rotating system designed to play off each other's strengths and conserve energy, but Kisuke knew that it couldn't last forever. This was eating up time that they did not have, especially with Yoruichi still fighting the source of all this in the bowels of the citadel.

Still more wights were already coming out of the portal, and Kisuke prepared to step in and lend Katya a hand. That was when he felt a sharp change in the spirit energy that permeated the Moon Tower. A shriek echoed from below, so powerful that it could be heard even through the incredibly thick stone. At the same time, the portal that the wights had been coming through began to contort and twist wildly, quickly losing all semblance of cohesion before collapsing into little more than wisps of spirit energy.

The wraiths that had made it through the portal before it collapsed suddenly became gripped by violent seizures. Taking advantage of whatever the hell was causing his foes' sudden loss of fine motor control, Kisuke lunged forward. Benihime flashed through the air in a series of rapid silver streaks, swiftly cutting down the spasming creatures in short order.

As the last of the wights fell to his blade, the Third Seat heard one of the doors leading to the tower's stairwell open. He whirled around expecting to find more hostiles, but was pleasantly surprised to actually see Shisui enter the room, followed shortly by Visaelya and Aika. The three of them looked slightly winded, but apart from that they seemed no worse for wear. Kisuke's eyes momentarily darted to the satchel hanging from Shisui's belt; it looked like it carried a deceptively heavy cargo despite its small size.

"You guys all right?" asked Shisui as he led his subordinates into the middle of the entrance hall to join the others.

Kisuke nodded as he quickly scanned the area to make sure no more wights were about to ambush them. "I think so. We were pretty busy just a few seconds ago."

"No kidding," said Shisui, "We ran into some company at the top of the tower. I'm betting it's the same kind of enemy you fought down here."

"No points for that guess," Rija chimed in as she looked around, "What the hell's happening now?"

That was a very good question. Taking a moment to study the hall, Kisuke saw that the icy blue energy that had surrounded them ever since they'd entered the Moon Tower was rapidly fading. Closing his eyes and concentrating on just sensing spirit energy, he realized that whatever brawl had been taking place down below was now over, and he was relieved to find that he could sense Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, and Itachi's energy quite clearly. In fact, Itachi's spiritual pressure seemed to have grown considerably more powerful, and Kisuke had a feeling he knew what that meant.

Kisuke smiled. "I think our little nightmare here's finally coming to an end."

Mindiwo nodded. "I sense it too. The Captain has cut out the heart of the corruption that gripped this place."

Rija sighed with relief as she deactivated her Shikai. "Good. I don't know how much more of a fight I've got in me right now."

"We shouldn't let our guard down just yet," said Kisuke even as he and Mindiwo both followed suit and returned their swords to their sealed forms, "Let's consolidate our position and wait for the Captain to rejoin us. If I know her, she shouldn't take long to get back up here."

"Works for me," Shisui replied, "I'll stand watch over the staircase leading to the upper levels."

"I'll monitor the entrance," said Mindiwo, "Rija, care to join me?"

The Fifteenth Seat nodded. "Sure."

"Third Seat Urahara?" asked Katya, giving him an expecting loose.

"You and I are in charge in here," he said, "Let's keep watch and give the others a chance to catch their breath."

"Understood," she answered.

 _I'd very much like to head downstairs and see what all the fuss was about_ , he thought, _but Yoruichi will be up here soon enough. I'll get the goods from her and then check out the rooms below later._

It only took a few minutes before Yoruichi, Soi-Fon and Itachi entered the main hall. The three of them were sweaty and looked a bit winded, but apart from that they seemed completely fine. More than that, actually; despite the energy Kisuke had sensed her expending earlier, Yoruichi appeared to have a slight perk in her step. She kept glancing at Itachi and smiling, which made Kisuke quite eager to find out what exactly had happened down there.

He gave her a friendly smirk as she approached. "Took you long enough."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Had to deal with a rather stubborn phantom. Suffice to say that things should start brightening up a bit around here soon."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed, and he leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Which one was it?"

The look in her eyes was all he needed to know she immediately grasped what he was referring to. "The weakest of the five, I'm sure of it. Had it been any of the other four, I probably would've needed my Bankai."

"Was it the _only_ one here?" he asked.

She nodded. "If there were others, we would've sensed them long before now. Besides, there's no way they would've imprisoned more than one in a single location."

Kisuke concurred. "Makes sense. The Head Captain's not going to like this."

Yoruichi shook her head. "It's not the Head Captain that I'm worried about right now. These things have spent a long time out of sight and out of mind as far as the Soul Society's concerned. If the weakest one broke its seal, then the others could've done the same."

Kisuke noticed that the others were giving them curious looks. "Maybe we should pick this up later when we don't have an audience."

Yoruichi looked around, and Kisuke saw her gaze linger on Itachi before she turned back to him and nodded. "You're right. How are things up here?"

Kisuke smiled. "No casualties, surprisingly enough. A few minor injuries, but nothing we can't see to back at camp. All things considered, we got lucky."

Yoruichi smirked. "Sometimes luck's just as important as skill. Let's get out of here, and we can handle the debriefing after we've all had a chance to rest for a bit. I don't know about you, but killing undead horrors from a bygone age makes me hungry."

Kisuke chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Captain," said Shisui as he approached, reaching for the satchel at his waist, "At the top of the Moon Tower… I found something that I think you should take a look at."

Kisuke and Yoruichi both turned their gazes towards the satchel, and Kisuke's eyes widened slightly as he felt a strange spirit energy coming from its contents. He didn't know how to describe it, other than it felt ancient and _very_ powerful. Yoruichi had clearly noticed as well if her furrowed brow was any indication.

"Let's wait until we have a bit of privacy," said Yoruichi, "Can you keep whatever you found under wraps until then?"

Shisui nodded, but not before glancing at Squad Two's Twentieth and Eighteenth Seats. "I can, but I'm not the only one who knows what's in here."

"Then make sure to impress upon your subordinates the value of compartmentalizing information," Yoruichi replied, "and bring them with you for our discussion later."

"Understood," he said.

Kisuke then saw her eyes go towards the satchel at his waist that held the scribe's journal he'd snatched earlier. "You find something good too?"

"In a manner of speaking," Kisuke answered, "Some fascinating reading that's quite relevant to our mission."

"Nice," said Yoruichi, "Show it to me later. Hopefully it'll make my report to the Head Captain a little easier to put together. In the meantime, let's get back to camp."

Kisuke was all for that.

….

Without the corrupt energy of the wraith polluting the entire region, Menar Issilaya had a very different feel to it. As Yoruichi led her subordinates back the way they'd came, stopping along the way to pick up the Soul Reapers who had been posted as sentries at key points in the Lower and Middle City earlier, in her eyes Menar Issilaya now had a quiet and somber air to it. The menace and lurking horror were gone, and in its place was a solemn relic of a bygone age, a memorial to a tragedy that had not been properly understood until now.

 _With the wraith destroyed, all those that it killed and turned into wights are now free_ , she thought, _I hope they find comfort as they rejoin the reincarnation cycle. May their next lives be brighter than the nightmare they found here..._

As they passed beneath the ruined main gate of the Lower City, Yoruichi once again found her gaze drifting towards her Sixteenth Seat. Well, Sixteenth Seat for _now_ ; after what she'd seen today, it was clear that a promotion or two was in order. Replaying the earlier battle in her mind, Yoruichi tried to guess just where Itachi's power stood now in the grand scheme of things. The energy she'd sensed was substantial… _much_ more so than it normally would be for a Soul Reaper who had just unlocked their Shikai. Surely the Sharingan awakening simultaneously played a role there. The more Yoruichi thought about it, though, the more she realized that it might take more than just this fight to accurately measure Itachi's real strength.

He hadn't fought like a Sixteenth Seat, that much was certain. If anything, the level of strength and ability he'd demonstrated today was actually closer to that of a _Lieutenant_ than what his current rank would suggest. Had it been the same for Shisui and she just hadn't noticed because he'd been working so hard to keep his Sharingan concealed? As she considered the issue, Yoruichi came to the conclusion that it wasn't just Itachi who was in need of a promotion; Squad Two as a whole was overdue for some reshuffling of the ranks.

 _After how they fought today, they've certainly earned it_ , she thought with more than a hint of pride, _I couldn't have asked for a better performance, especially given what we faced here._

Above all, though, the image that was most prominent in her mind as she looked at her fascinating subordinate was one with his eyes bathed in the crimson light of the Sharingan and staring right at her. The sheer intensity of his gaze had been unlike anything she'd ever felt before. She was beginning to understand just why one aspect of it was called the Eye of Hypnotism; his gaze had been captivating in a way she couldn't even begin to describe, and it was easy to see how that could facilitate the casting of illusions.

Of course, it didn't take Itachi long at all to sense her eyes on him. His gaze quickly met hers, and Yoruichi was surprised to feel herself come close to blushing like a schoolgirl.

 _Itachi…_

 _…I'm_ definitely _going to be keeping a close eye on you._

"Is something wrong?" he asked as he drew near.

Yoruichi smiled and shook her head. "No, just thinking… you really came through big time for us today. Without you being able to find that thing's weak points, that fight could've had a very different outcome."

"I'm not so sure about that," Itachi replied, "You didn't even use your Bankai, after all. I'm sure you were worried about bringing the Moon Tower on our heads, but if things had gotten bad enough you would've risked it, right?"

Yoruichi smirked. "You think you know me, do you? Well… maybe. I'm glad it didn't come to that, though. This was definitely the preferable outcome."

"I won't argue with that," said Itachi.

As they reached the end of the great bridge, she saw Itachi turn back to look at Menar Issilaya. She was surprised to see a small smile appear on his face; what had brought that about?

"The preferable outcome… in more ways than one," he said, "That's…. really something else."

That was when she saw a faint glow in Itachi's face, and she realized that the source was coming from behind her. Turning around, her eyes widened as she beheld a sight that she'd only seen before in ancient paintings.

With the destruction of the wraith and the rapidly fading corruption, the dark clouds that had choked the sky over Menar Issilaya had parted for what must've been the first time in millennia. Squad Two must've been in the city for longer than Yoruichi had first thought, for it was not sunlight that shone upon this relic of the old kingdom now, but moonlight. As the opening in the clouds grew with each passing second, the Moon Tower glowed brighter as it absorbed the luminous rays, gleaming like a snow-white spire. This wasn't the icy blue light of the wraith anymore; this was the splendor that it had known so long ago. Fair and radiant in the cradle of the Red Cap Mountains, a beacon harkening back to that glorious bygone age… it was a marvelous sight, one that Yoruichi had thought for so long that she would never get to witness firsthand.

"My, _my,_ " she murmured as a fresh smile appeared on her face, "I always thought that the old paintings were pretty, but… they don't hold a candle to _this._ "

"Perhaps we could come back here sometime," said Itachi, "There's no reason for the Central Forty-Six to have the Head Captain destroy it now. The foundations are still solid; it can definitely be restored to what it once was. I'd certainly like to see that."

Yoruichi nodded. "So would I. It'd be a nice little vacation."

Itachi chuckled. "Do Soul Reapers even get vacations?"

Yoruichi giggled. "Of course, we do! You've just been working too hard, Itachi. I need to show you how to lighten up a bit."

Another small smile from him caught her off guard. "I'd like that."

Together, the two of them gave one last look to the gleaming Moon Tower. Basking in its sublime radiance while in the company of the young man that was by far her most intriguing subordinate, Yoruichi couldn't have been happier.

 _Quite the mission we've had here_ , she mused as she once again turned towards her Sixteenth Seat, _Itachi… if this is a sign of things to come, then I can't wait to start training with you when we get back to the Soul Society. I want to see just what you're really capable of now that you've got those fascinating eyes of yours back. I'm going to push you harder than anyone in the Soul Society has before now…_

 _…and I can't wait to see how you rise to the challenge!_

 **Author's Notes:** Ah, _finally_ got to unveil Itachi's Shikai and reawaken his Sharingan! Only took me over a year of writing, so that was relatively quick all things considered. Wait, what's that? You guys wanted it right away? Well, tough shit. You really should know by now how I do things. Slow burn all the way, and this story's still quite young.

I suppose it's confession time now, at least for those of you who aren't fans of classic fantasy literature and didn't catch the obvious; the city in this chapter is my homage to Minas Ithil, more commonly known as Minas Morgul after the Witch-King and his pals took over the place, from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. I told you before that classic high fantasy works have influenced my writing, and they'll continue to do so.

With regards to Zanpakutō names for this chapter, I'll freely admit I was using Google translate. I tried to get as close as possible to what I was going for, but I'm sure there are other more accurate translations for what I wanted. I'll just go through a brief list of what I was trying to find the Japanese equivalent of.

For Itachi's Shikai, the rough translation should be 'Queen of Hell', rather appropriate given the appearance of his sword's spirit and the nature of one of the Mangekyou Sharingan's signature powers, Amaterasu.

For Yoruichi, the English version that I was going for was 'Lightning Priestess'. Google translate was rather fickle about that one, the name I used in the chapter was the closest I could come up with, and I'm sure there are better versions out there.

For Ninth Seat Mindiwo, the English translation _should_ come out as 'Demon of Carnage'. Again, I make no claims to being a master linguist.

Finally, for Sixth Seat Katya, the English version should be 'Frost Serpent'. This was actually one of the easier ones, but knowing me I probably messed that up too. Oh, well, it's what I'm going with.

Believe it or not, this chapter was actually supposed to be even longer than it already is! I've got some content that I figured could be moved to the following chapter, I felt like being nice since you all have waited long enough for this already. I'll try to be faster with the next one, but no promises.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review, and I'll see you next time!


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Notes:** Hello there! Apologies for the wait. Believe it or not, this chapter was actually going to be even longer than it already is, but I figured I could move some content to the next one and leave this one with a fun little teaser at the end.

Quick word of thanks to WindbornesWord for pointing out a mistake that I made with the name of Yoruichi's Zanpakutō. If I was going for 'Lightning Priestess' than Inazuma Miko would've been a better name. However, 'Inazuma On'na' could be read as 'Lightning Lady/Female' or 'Lightning Maiden', which I think fits Yoruichi quite well. I like 'Lightning Maiden', so I'm going with that.

Not much in the way of action in this chapter. It's a split between lore and Soul Society politics, along with a little bit of mother-son bonding. If you're here for high-octane Shonen fights, well, you're shit out of luck this time.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Sixteen: Shadows of the Past**

While Yoruichi had initially wanted to hold off on the debriefing until the following morning, the walk back to camp had given her enough time to reconsider the matter. As much as Yoruichi might want to give her subordinates a chance to rest, there were important matters that had to be attended to. An immediate debriefing definitely was needed, and she would have to be very careful with how she went about it given just what had happened today. Between Shisui's mysterious artifact and Itachi unlocking the Sharingan in front of Soi-Fon, there was some very sensitive information that had to be handled with no small amount of discretion.

As soon as they'd returned to their base camp, Yoruichi had decided to make the initial debriefing a private conference. The command tent had already been set up the night before, along with mats and cushions for a small group. She now sat at the head of the gathering, with Soi-Fon on her right and Kisuke on her left. Joining them were Itachi, Shisui, Visaelya, and Aika. The rest of the officers who had been inside the Moon Tower when the battle had broken out were on a meal break; Yoruichi would convene a separate meeting with them once she was through with this first one.

To their immense credit, the subordinates she'd summoned had answered without fuss even though Yoruichi was sure that they were worn out and probably just wanted to eat and go to sleep. They certainly looked tired, particularly Aika and Visaelya, but they were here nonetheless. She was actually surprised to see that Itachi didn't look nearly as worn out as the two of them; given that today was his first time using his Shikai, Yoruichi had expected him to be winded from the increased expenditure of energy.

 _He really is full of surprises_ , she thought, _I still can't believe how much his power shot up today. I figured the Sharingan combined with his Shikai would significantly elevate his spirit energy, but I didn't expect the rise in output to be quite this dramatic._

Granted, Itachi wasn't giving off a great deal of energy at the moment; with his Zanpakutō sealed and his eyes back to normal, he was once again regulating his output like any other Soul Reaper would outside of combat. Still, Yoruichi wasn't blind to the transformation that had taken place within her Sixteenth Seat. Unlocking both his Shikai and Sharingan simultaneously had opened a floodgate inside Itachi, and even at rest the spirit energy flowing through him now was considerable.

What would he be capable of once he began training with this newfound power? How would he wield it when it was combined with his prior knowledge of the Sharingan's capabilities? He'd already demonstrated an ability to adapt his Shikai to specific circumstances through his little trick with sheathing her gauntlets in the spirit energy-infused flames to blunt the wild discharges from _her_ Shikai, and that was only his first time wielding it. Once Itachi had enough time to practice and explore the new power of his Zanpakutō, Yoruichi was sure that he would discover all sorts of creative and innovative ways to apply its strengths in battle.

Exploring the potential of her Sixteenth Seat's Shikai would have to wait, though; they had more pressing business to attend to at the moment. Taking a moment to allow everyone to get comfortable, Yoruichi then leaned forward slightly to get things rolling.

"Sorry to call you all in here so quickly," she began with an apologetic smile, "I'm sure you all want nothing more than to eat and get some shuteye, and I promise you'll be able to do both as soon as we wrap this up."

Kisuke tried and failed to stifle a yawn. "I gotta say, today took more out of me than I thought it would. This is definitely one of our more interesting missions, that's for sure."

"A bit too interesting for my liking," Soi-Fon dryly quipped, "A boring patrol in the Seireitei suddenly sounds quite appealing by comparison."

Shisui gave a weary nod. "No argument here."

Visaelya shook her head, her complexion a bit paler than normal. "I'm still having trouble believing it all. Those really were _wights_ we fought up there... and that means…"

"Yes," said Yoruichi grimly, "There was a wraith in the depths of the Moon Tower."

Aika gulped nervously. "A… a _wraith?_ I thought… I thought those were just… just myths. Fables made up by parents to spook naughty children with…"

"I wasn't even aware of _that_ ," said Shisui.

"Nor was I," Itachi chimed in.

Both Uchiha were looking at her in patient anticipation, and Yoruichi knew that they deserved answers. "Wraiths are exceptionally rare, and for good reason; the power and skill needed to create them no longer exists in the modern Soul Society. They're phantoms of a bygone age… one where spell casters pushed to the absolute limits of their craft and beyond, channeling raw might and the very fabric of the afterlife itself. The Central Forty-Six would prefer that such techniques remain buried in the sands of time; they prefer the much more orderly and controlled Kidō spells that are taught at the Academy."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "You told me earlier that they're essentially the product of a resurrection in reverse; where someone in the Soul Society brings back someone who has entered the cycle of reincarnation and whose spirit has travelled back to one of the Realms of the Living. The spell casters of old really had _that_ kind of power?"

Yoruichi sighed; she hadn't been looking forward to this bit. "Only one did… and, believe it or not, you've actually heard her name before. Itachi, do you remember what I told you regarding the origins of one of my secret techniques? The one where I take on some more… _primal_ traits, shall we say?"

The young man's onyx eyes closed for a moment as he considered the question, but judging from how quickly they opened again it clearly hadn't taken long for Itachi to find that particular memory. "Yes… you said it was a spell created by one of your ancestors, and she was considered to be perhaps the greatest caster ever born into your clan. You called her the Lady of Midnight, correct?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Good memory."

Shisui and Aika appeared to be drawing a blank, but Visaelya's eyes widened ever so slightly at the mention of that name. "The Lady of Midnight… you mean the _Black Sorceress_ of the Shihōin Clan?"

"One of her less than flattering monikers, yes," Yoruichi replied solemnly, "Then again, in the end it's hard to say that she didn't earn it. I'm surprised you know that much, Visaelya. It wasn't just the Central Forty-Six that tried to scrub her name from the historical records, after all; the Shihōin Clan wasn't exactly proud of her either when it was all over, and they don't like to share information about her."

"Records about her are hard to come by," Visaelya admitted, "but there are a few in the Drakken Clan archives. Besides, her story is one of the more fascinating ones out there regarding the spell casters of the old kingdom. No matter how much the Central Forty-Six might want to act as if she never existed, it's awfully difficult for them to completely sweep her under the rug."

"So, who exactly was she?" asked Aika.

"The eldest daughter of that generation's head of the Shihōin Clan," Yoruichi answered, "She had two younger sisters, each of whom went on to excel in different fields. One was a peerless warrior, and the other was a phenomenal assassin and scout. Collectively, at the time they were known as the Three Gems of the Shihōin Clan. The Lady of Midnight was recognized at a very young age as a prodigy in the art of spell casting, so no expense was spared in developing her abilities to bring glory to the clan. Back then, prominent casters were known as Mages, and they were highly sought after by the old kingdom. Having one as the eldest daughter of a Great Noble House was seen as a sign of destiny and providence, which only served to further the resources that the clan devoted to her training. Had they known just how far she would push those talents of hers later on, though, perhaps they would've reconsidered."

"What was her real name?" asked Shisui.

Yoruichi shook her head. "I don't know. In all the surviving records I've read of that time period, none make mention of it. Even official family trees don't have it; it's been cut out of all of them."

"That's a shame," said Itachi, "Regardless of whatever her later actions were, removing her entirely from the historical record was a disservice to the clan. It denied them the opportunity to learn from the past."

Kisuke nodded. "That's a good way to put it."

"I disagree," argued Soi-Fon, "Some names are better off forgotten."

Itachi's gaze met Yoruichi's. "What do you think?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Honestly, I'm on the fence. On the one hand, given that what we just fought was a direct result of her descent into darkness, I'm not exactly feeling charitable about her today. However, I _do_ believe in taking a hard look at the past in order to avoid repeating mistakes, and having more knowledge about her available would definitely help in that regard."

Shisui leaned forward slightly. "If she was responsible for all the trouble we had to deal with today, her power must've been incredible. Captain-class at least, right?"

"More than that," Yoruichi answered, "If even half of what the old records say are true, at its peak her power and skill would've allowed her to take on at least _half_ of the Captains in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and that's even with their Lieutenants providing backup."

 __Aika actually recoiled a bit at that. "You… you _can't_ be serious, Captain!"

"Oh, she very much is," Kisuke chimed in, "Hell, she's probably underselling it based on what I've read."

"The old records tend to embellish certain things," Yoruichi countered, "It's best to be cautious when reading them, especially when it comes to some of the more… _fantastic_ deeds she performed, so to speak. Still, even taking the history with a grain of salt, she was impressive no matter what way you look at it."

Visaelya had a rather thoughtful look on her face. "The Drakken Clan's records tend to focus more on her later years since those are when she went from celebrated to cursed, but from what I understand she used to be a great hero, right?"

"Very much so," Yoruichi replied, "It makes her fall all the more tragic, really. All her good deeds marred by what she became in the end and the horrors she left behind… her legacy's much more complex than most give her credit for."

"What happened?" asked Itachi, "She sounds like an intriguing figure."

Yoruichi had to resist the urge to smile. It was only natural that Itachi would take an interest; as someone with a rather controversial past himself, he was probably the one that could empathize most with the subject matter out of the gathered Soul Reapers. She was curious to see what his opinion would be once she finished her tale.

"Well, bear in mind that we don't have the whole picture," she cautioned, "The broad outline of her story has survived the millennia, but the details are harder to pin down thanks to all the efforts to remove her from history. I'll tell you what I know, just remember that even I don't have a comprehensive grasp on the particulars, and this is a member of my clan we're talking about here."

Kisuke grinned. "Oh, is it story time now? I've heard this one before, but I'm always down for a repeat. It's a personal favorite of mine!"

Soi-Fon shot him a scowl. "This isn't for your personal amusement, Third Seat Urahara!"

Kisuke chuckled and shook his head. "You _really_ need to learn to lighten up, Soi-Fon."

"I for one would rather put levity aside for the moment and focus on what the Captain has to say," Visaelya interjected.

Aika nodded. "Yes… I want to hear this."

All eyes were soon on Yoruichi, but she needed a moment to put her thoughts in order. She didn't mind sharing this chapter of her family history with her subordinates even if it was one that the Shihōin Clan wasn't exactly proud of, yet the matter was sufficiently complicated enough that it was difficult for her to figure out exactly where to start. Not for the first time today, she found herself thinking back on her conversation with Itachi regarding the tragedy of the Uchiha Clan.

 _His story was a lot rougher than this one will be_ , she told herself, _I've got no excuse for stalling._

 __"All right, then," she said, "I guess I should offer a bit of historical context first for those of you who didn't get the whole 'private tutor courtesy of being a bigshot noble' treatment. This all took place roughly around the same time period that historians consider to be the golden age of the old kingdom. The Andunayans were riding high, and so were the Five Great Noble Houses that had helped them conquer the Soul Society. Even then, though, it wasn't as if things were perfect. Hollows have been an issue for the Soul Society since, well, forever, and they were hardly the only problem."

Visaelya smiled. "The old kingdom governed over much more of the Soul Society than the Central Forty-Six does now, right? From what my tutors told me, The Wild wasn't quite as 'wild' back then as it is these days; much more of it was properly charted, and there were many settlements and overlapping trade routes between the heart of the Soul Society and the outlying territories. Still, even at the height of its power, the old kingdom couldn't exert complete control over all of the Soul Society. It's just too big for any single government to do so."

Yoruichi gave her an approving nod. "Very good, Visaelya. Even with a powerful military and a proactive scouting force, there were still broad swaths where the old kingdom's authority existed in name only. Out there, bandits roamed free, preying on settlements that weren't considered important enough to house their own garrisons. They weren't the only problems, either; all manner of nasty beasties roam in The Wild, and those who can't fight don't last too long against them. Even settlement that _did_ merit dedicated protection weren't free of threats. Away from the prying eyes of the central government and the Principalities, it wasn't hard for corrupt officials to set up shop and enrich themselves off the labors of the common folk. In short, the 'golden age' might've shined bright in the major population centers, but it still cast plenty of shadows if one knew where to look for them."

"Those shadows have only become more prominent since the fall of the old kingdom," Soi-Fon grimly added, "Most attempts to establish and maintain settlements beyond either the Rukon District or the Principalities have been doomed from the outset due to lack of protection and resources. The Wild has effectively been ceded to Hollows and other assorted beasts, not to mention bands of marauders. This recent initiative from the Central Forty-Six to seek out suitable places for new outposts is frankly long overdue."

 __Yoruichi saw Itachi's brow furrow in thought. "If the Lady of Midnight was born into the Shihōin Clan, then she wouldn't have had to face these shadows for quite some time. She would've been surrounded by those who only knew the golden age."

Yoruichi smiled; she appreciated her Sixteenth Seat's ability to cut to the heart of an issue so succinctly. "You're right about that. She was born in the Shihōin Clan estate in the Seireitei, and from what I understand the bulk of her early life was split between there and our ancestral homeland to the southwest. You'd think that journeys between the Seireitei and the Shihōin Clan's Principality would at least offer a hint or two that not everything in the Soul Society was fine and dandy, but such trips are typically made in heavily escorted caravans. Travel was much the same then as it is now; nobles would typically ride in closed carriages that are designed to have all the luxuries an aristocrat would need for such a long trek. The only time they typically leave those boxes of opulence and wealth is just to stretch a bit, and normally the officer in charge of guiding the caravan will take care to make sure they stop in areas that have been cleared of commoners beforehand. Still, it's impossible to completely keep the outside world at bay no matter what one might try, and it didn't help that the Lady of Midnight was rather inquisitive by nature. Keeping the reality of the world away from her was always going to be a losing proposition."

"Perhaps, but she still would've been sheltered from the worst of it," Shisui mused aloud, "Whatever exposure she might've had in her early years probably wouldn't be enough to decisively pierce the bubble the clan had built around her."

Yoruichi smirked. "Normally you'd be right about that, but it's another matter entirely when the noble daughter in question has a rebellious streak. She excelled in all her lessons and gained a reputation for devoting exceptionally long hours to practicing spells, but being a model student and a model noble are two very different things. Still, the clan might've been able to curb some of her behavior if it weren't for fortune throwing a wrench into their plans… or perhaps it was fate. They are two sides of the same coin, after all."

"What happened?" asked Aika.

A surprisingly eager smile appeared on Visaelya's face. "Oh, I know this part! Captain, if I may be so bold…"

"You want to be the one that tells this next bit of the story, right?" Yoruichi finished for her with a chuckle, "Hey, I won't stop you. I think you've earned the right to a bit of fun after all the work you put in today!"

 _I think I know_ why _she wants to be the one to tell this part_ , she mused as she briefly glanced back and forth between Visaelya and Shisui, _Someone's been bit by the romance bug…_

For his part, Shisui gave Visaelya a teasing smirk. "You're suddenly full of energy. I didn't think that rejuvenation barrier I used on you earlier was _that_ effective!"

Yoruichi could've sworn she caught a hint of a blush flash across Visaelya's cheeks, but it was only for a moment and it hardly stopped her Eighteenth Seat from countering. "Perhaps your spell casting has greater efficacy than you realize."

Shisui laughed. "I doubt that very much!"

Visaelya cleared her throat. "Let's get back to the topic at hand, shall we?"

"Yes, let's," Soi-Fon muttered.

"Since the Lady of Midnight was adept at spells rather than physical combat, the Shihōin Clan naturally took steps to ensure her protection," Visaelya began, "One common measure for Great Noble Houses is to assign a dedicated bodyguard, and that's what happened here. Since she was still young, the clan wanted to make sure that at least one of her protectors was around her age so that she'd have someone she could make friends with. Ultimately, her personal escorts were chosen from one of the Shihōin Clan's vassal families and consisted of a master swordsman and his apprentice. From what I understand, the apprentice and the Lady of Midnight initially butted heads, but eventually they became… close."

Aika giggled. "I think I know where this is going!"

Visaelya smiled. "Well, you know how those old love stories go; at first they can't stand each other, and eventually they can't live without each other. It would be quite a while before they reached that latter state, though. In the meantime, the Lady of Midnight was able to rope the apprentice bodyguard into some of her more rebellious antics, and one of these escapades involved sneaking out of the Shihōin Clan estate in the Seireitei. In fact, they actually managed to get clear of the Seireitei itself, which I believe was her goal from the beginning."

"So, they found themselves in the Rukon District then," said Itachi, "I take it this proved to be a rather eye-opening experience for the young prodigy?"

Visaelya nodded. "Quite so. Then as now, the parts of the Rukon District closest to the Seireitei were quite comfortable, but these weren't the areas that the Lady of Midnight wanted to see. So, the two of them made their way further out, and it wasn't too long before they began to notice the declining standards of living for souls as they ventured towards the outlying districts. If I recall the story correctly, the apprentice was the cautious type; several times he tried to convince her to turn back, but she kept pressing forward. Eventually, they found themselves in one of the… _rougher_ districts, to understate the matter."

Shisui grimaced. "That must've been quite a shock for the sheltered sorceress in-training."

Visaelya sighed. "Yes, it was. She had an academic knowledge of the lower classes, but this was her first time seeing them in person. I suppose that alone would've left an impression, but it wasn't just poverty that she bore witness to. Even during the height of the old kingdom's power, the higher-numbered sections of the Rukon District were not to be taken lightly. No matter how she might've tried to disguise herself for her excursion, it was plain as day to the inhabitants that she came from a distinctly well-off background. She and her bodyguard were quickly set upon by thieves, and while the two of them did manage to scare off their attackers, they both were forced to kill some of them in self-defense. It was the first time both of them had taken a life, and it was an experience that neither of them would forget anytime soon."

"I can understand that," Aika murmured.

"I think we all can at this point," said Kisuke.

"I take it the two of them quickly returned to the Seireitei after the encounter, then?" Itachi guessed.

Visaelya nodded. "They did, although their absence had not gone unnoticed. The master of the apprentice bodyguard had gone to check up on them earlier and had quickly realized that they were missing. An alarm had been raised, so I'm sure you can imagine the fury of her parents when the clan heiress and her young protector attempted to sneak back into the estate. Needless to say, with the guards on high alert the two of them were caught quite easily."

"What happened to the apprentice bodyguard?" asked Shisui, "I'm assuming the girl would've gotten let off with a slap on the wrist, but since her protector was of a lower station, he probably got it worse."

Visaelya smiled. "You would think that, but the Lady of Midnight interceded on his behalf. It might surprise you to learn that she actually accepted full responsibility for her actions. I'm sure her parents hoped that this was a sign she'd be changing her ways, but… well, I believe she simply didn't want to lose the one person who'd been willing to take her beyond the estate walls to see the parts of the Rukon District that her parents hadn't wanted her to. The master swordsman did take a more active role in keeping an eye on both his apprentice and the clan princess in order to avoid a repeat of the incident, but from that point on the Lady of Midnight and her handsome young bodyguard were basically inseparable. The bond between them would deepen over the years… and it would have some very serious consequences down the line."

Yoruichi saw a glint in Itachi's eyes as one of the puzzle pieces fell into place for him. "The apprentice bodyguard… he was eventually made a wraith, wasn't he? Was it him that we fought earlier?"

Visaelya shook her head. "You're only partially right, Itachi. She _did_ eventually turn him into a wraith, but he was not the one that you, Lady Yoruichi and Soi-Fon fought tonight."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "How do you know that?"

"Because the one we fought tonight was the weakest of the five," Yoruichi answered for her, "Visaelya, you must've felt me release my Shikai… and _only_ my Shikai, right?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes. Were it any of the four, I'm assuming you would've required more power… and for the bodyguard, you _definitely_ would've needed your Bankai. After all, she made sure to raise him as the strongest of the five. Although we _are_ kind of jumping ahead in the story here…"

"Watch out, kids!" Kisuke laughed, "Spoilers!"

Yoruichi gave an exasperated sigh. "Kisuke, you already know this story. Nothing here's going to be a spoiler for you. Try to take this seriously for the sake of the others, all right?"

Kisuke chuckled, but there was a knowing look in his eyes; he knew her well enough to recognize when she _really_ wasn't in the mood for his antics. "All right, all right. I'll keep the commentary restricted to providing helpful context."

"Why can't you restrict the commentary to keeping your mouth shut?" Soi-Fon grumbled.

"Commentary aside, I suppose I _did_ throw the narrative off a bit," Visaelya lamented.

Itachi shook his head. "It's my fault. I should've withheld my thoughts until you'd finished."

Yoruichi decided it was time for her to step in and take the reins again. "Don't worry about it. I'm actually pleased that you caught that so quickly; nice to see that the energy you exerted in today's fight hasn't dulled your wits. Visaelya, mind if I jump back in?"

"Of course, Captain," she replied, "This is your clan that we're speaking of, after all."

"So, where do things go from here?" asked Shisui, "It's obvious that the clan's princess wasn't going to let herself remain behind the walls of the estate forever, and it's not like the clan would've been able to hold her back after her powers had developed further. What was next for her?"

Yoruichi smirked. "Definitely not what the family had in mind for her, that much is for sure. Normally, aspiring Mages had three prospective career paths; serving a Great Noble House, serving the kingdom's central government directly, or building up their own private archives and testing grounds for further research into spell casting, eventually turning their personal libraries into schools of sorcery. Since she was the eldest of the three clan heirs, the family had obviously ruled that last one out. After all, they wanted her to take on a position of prominence in preparation for the day that she would eventually assume power at the head of the clan. Serving the clan or the kingdom directly as a Mage would've put her on the path to that quite nicely. She had other ideas, though."

"Said ideas involving the world beyond the confines of the Seireitei and the clan Principality, right?" Itachi guessed.

Yoruichi grinned. "You hit the nail on the head, Itachi! She was determined to see the broader Soul Society for herself, to understand the shadows of the golden age and combat them. Serving the nobility or the heart of the kingdom was never a palpable option for her. In order to do that, though, she needed to get _out_ , and she spent a considerable effort preparing for the day when she'd make her big escape."

"Where did she plan to go?" asked Aika.

"Into The Wild," Yoruichi answered, "She'd done a great deal of research on the settlements out in the expanse between the Rukon District and the Principalities, but she knew that there was only so much that academic study would teach her. She was determined to get out there for herself and gain a firsthand understanding how the Soul Society functioned off the beaten path, as it were. Of course, she'd already gotten her bodyguard roped into the scheme too. By then he was an apprentice in name only; just as the Lady of Midnight's skills in the art of spell casting had grown considerably in the years since the Rukon District incident, so had her companion's abilities in swordsmanship. In fact, before his fall he would actually be recognized as one of the finest swordsmen of his generation in the Soul Society."

Itachi scratched his chin in thought. "What about his master? Even if his student had grown to the point that instruction was no longer needed, it sounds like he was still at least officially both his teacher and commander. I can't see him going along with what his pupil and their ward had planned given his actions during the Rukon District incident."

Yoruichi winked. "Believe it or not, the master wasn't actually as strict and unbending as his earlier behavior might suggest. Sure, at the time of the Rukon District incident he wasn't exactly pleased with his student, but that was only because he'd put both himself and the woman he was charged with protecting in danger by going along with her scheme rather than stopping her. At that time, his skills still needed refining. By the time the Lady of Midnight was ready to take flight from her gilded cage, so to speak, it was another matter altogether. The master swordsman was prepared to let them go, but on one condition; the two of them had to defeat him in a sparring match first."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "A former apprentice swordsman and a budding Mage against a seasoned fighter? That sounds like it would've been interesting to watch."

Yoruichi laughed. "You could say that! I've lost count of how many songs and poems were composed about it; so many survived the archive purges that happened later on that I'm convinced people preserved them simply to spite the powers-that-be for attempting to suppress such literature. While they all embellish details to varying extents, the point that they all agree on was that it was indeed quite a fight. We don't have time for the detailed version, but suffice to say that the two of them passed the master's test with flying colors. The clan might have wanted him to stop the two of them, but he kept his word and took no action to prevent their subsequent departure."

Kisuke gave her a knowing smirk. "Pay close attention, kids; this next bit is our Captain's favorite part of the story!"

Visaelya giggled. "I think I can guess why!"

Yoruichi was surprised to see Itachi actually crack a small smile at that. "This sounds like it'll be fun."

Shisui was apparently in full agreement. "Don't keep us hanging, Captain!"

Yoruichi grinned. "I'll admit, I _do_ enjoy retelling this next bit. I certainly never get tired of it, anyway. You see, normally you'd expect our budding heroine and her companion to try and slip away quietly under these circumstances. That wasn't what the Lady of Midnight had in mind, though. She wanted to send a message with her departure, and she did so in a manner that would've made Kūkaku _very_ proud!"

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "That woman… she's never been one for subtlety."

Shisui chuckled. "So, she left with a bang, I take it?"

Yoruichi's smile took on a rather mischievous look. "Literally! You see, while her studies regarding spells were primarily focused on their application towards sealing, barriers, combat, and healing, she wasn't blind with regards to the… oh, let's call it the _entertainment value_ of her craft. Spirit energy combined with fireworks can make for quite a spectacle, and a skilled enough caster can make sure that said spectacle is one that will be seen for miles around!"

Aika laughed. "I bet her parents weren't happy about that!"

Yoruichi joined her. "No kidding! The details are a bit hazy, but apparently, she enchanted some of the fireworks so that when they went off, they actually spelled out messages in the sky… messages that included several expletives that good daughters of nobility are definitely _not_ supposed to know. She might've eventually gained a reputation as an elegant and refined sorceress, but in her early days she apparently had a knack for profanity that would make a sailor proud! Suffice to say that the incident caused a fair bit of embarrassment for the Shihōin Clan, but if I were in her shoes… well, I'd probably feel like it was worth it."

"Quite a way to make a statement," said Itachi, a thoughtful look in his eyes, "She certainly wasn't shy about leaving on her own terms. Seizing her independence must've meant a great deal to her."

"I can relate to that," Visaelya murmured.

 _I don't doubt that a bit_ , thought Yoruichi, _Visaelya's current situation with her clan probably means she can identify a great deal with this part of the story. Poor girl… noble family politics are never easy to deal with, and the Drakken Clan's self-absorption only makes things worse. I hope things improve for her on that front eventually, but knowing that family's capacity for holding grudges from the smallest slights it's likely going to take a while…_

Soi-Fon shook her head in disdain. "If the estate guards had been doing their jobs, they should've stopped that display before it even started, along with her escape. They were grossly negligent in their duties."

Yoruichi waved her finger at her bodyguard like a teacher taking a student to task. "Now, now, Soi-Fon; don't be so hard on them. After all, they _had_ been hit by an enchantment of hers right before the big getaway… one that, if I recall the tales correctly, put them in a state that resembled _severe_ inebriation."

Itachi got a good chuckle out of that. "I don't recall our instructors at the Academy showing us any spells like _that._ "

Shisui shook his head in amusement. "No kidding. We seriously missed out. I bet Jiraiya would get a kick out of that sort of spell."

Visaelya rolled her eyes. "Let's agree _not_ to tell him about it, all right? He's troublesome enough as it is."

"I don't think you've got anything to worry about on that front," Kisuke chimed in, "I've been trying to recreate that spell for a while now and haven't had much luck. Jiraiya's got his talents, but if I haven't been able to pull this spell off yet then I highly doubt that he'd be able to do it anytime soon."

"You'd think someone would try to write a spell like that down," Aika mused aloud, "It sounds incredibly useful for infiltration missions. Shouldn't the finer details have been recorded somewhere?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "That would've been nice, but when you're deemed such a threat that those in power want to erase evidence of your very existence, there's plenty of material that would be handy for others that gets swept under the rug. It bites, but that's unfortunately how things played out here."

"She doesn't sound like that much of a threat as of right now, though," Itachi commented, "A gifted and rebellious daughter that would give any noble family trouble, sure, but hardly the kind of threat that prompts rulers to expunge any trace of them from history. How did she go from defiant and intelligent Mage to a figure of dread and terror?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "It wasn't overnight, that's for sure. Like Visaelya said earlier, she used to be a great hero, and at this point in the story that heroic career was just getting started. Her fall didn't come until much later, and it wasn't as if she just suddenly one day embraced darkness and jumped over the edge. There was a lot more to it."

Itachi nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. "There usually is."

 _You would understand that better than most_ , she thought somberly, _Itachi…_

"So, where exactly did they go?" asked Shisui, "I know you said The Wild, but they can't have just run off into the expanse without _some_ kind of destination in mind, or at least a first stop."

"True enough," Yoruichi conceded, "She actually _did_ have a rough course in mind. You see, she wanted to get a broad feel for the overall state of the Soul Society and its ills. To accomplish that, she started by heading off to the southeast. From there, her plan was to chart a counterclockwise path, one that would take her and her companion on a long trek across the lands between the core of the Soul Society and the Principalities."

"The Shiba Clan's Principality is to the southeast of the Seireitei, right?" asked Aika.

"That's correct," Yoruichi answered, "and as it so happened, the clan's leadership was less than stellar at the time. They were focused on currying favor within the Seireitei, and as a result they paid less attention to their ancestral homeland. Due to that, the borders of the Principality weren't well patrolled, so the outlying lands had become a haven for all manner of miscreants. This had originally been a minor problem, but neglect had allowed it to fester to the point that bandits and other such outlaws had become the de factor rulers of several villages in that region. Needless to say, their treatment of the people who lived in those villages was less than cordial."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "That bad, eh? Not what I'd expect from the Shiba Clan."

"That sort of negligence is the exception rather than the rule when it comes to that family," Visaelya pointed out, "As one of the Five Great Noble Houses, they are supposed to maintain a robust scouting and defense presence within their Principality, as well as project power into the lands just outside their borders for the sake of security. They're normally quite proficient in such regards, but this particular chapter in history wasn't one of their finer moments."

"They were complacent back then," Soi-Fon added, "Since the old kingdom was riding high during those days, some nobles began to slack off when it came to matters of defense and law enforcement. The common folk are always the ones that end up paying the price for such negligence."

"And it was into this morass of lawlessness and petty thugs ruling over frightened villagers that the Lady of Midnight and her bodyguard wandered, yes?" Itachi chimed in.

Kisuke smirked. "I'd say less 'wandered' and more 'sought out', if we're being honest here."

Yoruichi chuckled. "Good point. The whole point of her trip was to go looking for trouble, and it didn't take her long to find plenty of it. This might've been a gifted Mage and bodyguard, respectively, but you have to remember that both of them hadn't seen much in the way of real action apart from the Rukon District incident. Bandits might seem like small fries to us, but out there it was just the two of them, and they were both still unsure of what they were really capable of now that they were on their own. That being said, they proved to be quick learners."

"Trial by fire, as it were," Itachi commented.

Yoruichi smiled. "Yes, and one that they passed with flying colors. The two of them spent a few days scouting and gathering information, talking to villagers and assessing the situation. They kept to the shadows by day, and whenever they settled down for the night the Lady of Midnight would enshroud their encampment through several spells to minimize their chances of detection. It didn't take them long to find the bandits' primary base of operations, and even less to study it and determine their plan of attack. When they made their move, the brigands had no idea what they were up against."

"What happened?" asked Aika.

Yoruichi's grin became downright devilish. "It was a thing of beauty. The bandits' camp became engulfed in a thick and unnatural fog. To compound matters, it was the dead of night… midnight, in fact. Between the fog and the natural darkness, the enemy had been rendered all but blind. Then sentries started dropping, struck down by swift and silent sword strikes. Shortly thereafter, blue fire engulfed one of the tents and rapidly began to spread. This enchanted blaze quickly formed a circle, trapping the bulk of the brigands. The fog then began to dissipate, but that did the bandits little good. They were hemmed in… and the Lady of Midnight, standing atop a small cliff that overlooked the encampment, had them in her sights. From there, it was a bloodbath."

Kisuke chuckled. "Between her spells and the bodyguard picking off stragglers, the bandits didn't have a chance. When the morning sun finally came, it illuminated a charred graveyard."

Visaelya shuddered. "Horrible way to go…"

"Ruthless, but effective," said Soi-Fon, "The method needed some refinement, but they had plenty of brigands in the region to practice on."

Shisui nodded. "I bet word started getting around pretty quickly."

"It did, yes," Yoruichi confirmed, "There were no survivors from that first attack, but other outlaws operating in the area saw the smoke from the fire and came to investigate. Our heroine and her companion had already left the scene, so these guys had no clue what they were dealing with. That quickly changed once _their_ camp came under attack at midnight about a week later. This time, though, there were survivors."

"Interesting," Itachi commented, "Was that by accident or design?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure. Things get a bit vague here, and one can make a decent argument for either a mistake or deliberate action. Like Soi-Fon mentioned, the two of them needed to refine their tactics, and it's possible that this was simply a case of trial and error where there was enough error for a few lucky stragglers to slip away. However, fear is just as effective a weapon as blades or spells, and it's impossible to rule out the Lady of Midnight allowing a handful of terrified bandits to flee and spread word of what had happened."

Visaelya leaned forward. "Which do you favor, Captain? Mistake or calculated release?"

"A bit of both, actually," Yoruichi replied, "Based on the results of their first attack, I think the two of them had gone into this second strike with the intention of taking out all the bandits in this encampment as well. This camp was set up over a wider area, though, and other factors meant that the exact same tactics as those used the first time wouldn't quite have the same results. However, I believe that our heroine and her companion came to realize the value of letting a few scared-shitless survivors flee so they could spread some of that fear around. If nothing else, it served as a nice little seed for the reputation the two of them would build as their journey continued."

"How long did they stick around in the Shiba borderlands?" asked Shisui.

"A couple of months," Yoruichi answered, "It wasn't just bandits that became aware of what was going on; villagers were starting to pick up on the fact that someone from the outside was actually intervening to help them. The Lady of Midnight and her companion were soon sleeping at inns rather than out in the wilderness, hosted by grateful civilians after they'd dealt with the local brigands. Neither of them had embarked on this undertaking for a reward, but the hard truth is that money matters just as much in the Soul Society as it does in any of the Realms of the Living, so the two of them didn't say 'no' when they were offered compensation."

"A blend of altruism and pragmatism," Itachi noted, "Not unreasonable, all things considered."

Yoruichi smiled. "It worked out quite well for them. In fact, it was in one of those villages that they picked up a new travelling companion. He was a local boy who'd lost his parents in one of the prior bandit raids. When our heroine and her bodyguard took down the group responsible, the young man developed a big case of hero-worship for the two of them. He would follow them whenever they were in town, begging to be taught both spell casing and swordsmanship from them. From what I recall, the tales indicate that the bodyguard thought he was a nuisance, but the Lady of Midnight took a liking to him. Apparently, the kid actually had surprisingly high levels of spirit energy, but he'd never received any sort of formal training. Eventually, the Lady of Midnight decided to take him on as a student, while at the same time convincing her bodyguard to instruct him in the basics of self-defense."

Visaelya's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait a moment… the boy you're talking about… did he…?"

Yoruichi gave a solemn nod. "Yes; he too would be brought back as a wraith down the line."

Soi-Fon closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, they held a somber look. "I wonder if he would've been so eager to join them if he knew what kind of fate awaited him."

Kisuke simply shrugged. "No one can see the future. Anyone who claims that they can is either a fool or a liar, and quite often they're both. The boy made his choice with the information he had available at the time. That's all any of us can do."

Aika sighed. "It's still sad to think about, though. Travelling with heroes, only to eventually end up as an undead monster… no one deserves that."

"I don't know," Shisui chimed in, "I can think of a few people from my particular Realm of the Living that might deserve that special kind of hell…"

Yoruichi's gaze met Itachi's, and although she was no mind reader, she had a feeling that they were both thinking of one particular individual in that moment.

 _Danzō Shimura…_

Perhaps she should've refrained from such dark thoughts, but after all that Itachi had told her about the man's role in the Uchiha Clan's destruction it was hard for her to resist the temptation. Of course, if any former Shinobi actually _did_ end up transformed into a wraith, then that would be a very nasty can of worms to deal with. Itachi, Shisui and Jiraiya had all proven themselves to be very capable combatants, and the three of them were still in the early stages of their careers as Soul Reapers. She knew that this was just a taste of how formidable former Shinobi were in the afterlife, and she did _not_ want to think about how powerful another Shinobi might be if he or she were turned into an undead abomination.

She saw Visaelya glance at Shisui and raise an eyebrow. "Just what kind of people did you associate with in your old life?"

A surprisingly wistful smile came to Shisui's face, and he shot a quick wink towards Itachi. "Some of the very best and the very worst."

Visaelya gave a bemused shake of her head. "Shinobi… why does your lot have to be so eccentric?"

Yoruichi was a bit taken aback by the very small smirk that appeared on Itachi's face. "You have no idea…"

As amusing as this little side exchange was, Yoruichi knew she had to get things back on track. "In any case, it would be quite a long time before _any_ of the Lady of Midnight's followers became wraiths. Her adventure was still quite young; the Shiba borderlands were only the first stop, after all."

"That's right," said Aika, "and if she was traversing the Soul Society on a counterclockwise course, then the next region on her list would be the lands bordering the Drakken Clan's Principality, right?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Close, but not quite. That clan's always been good about border defense. Of course, being able to survey your territory from the back of a fire drake helps immensely in that regard. How they see anything when their heads are so far up their dragons' asses is a mystery to me, though. No offense, Visaelya!"

She thought for a moment that the clan's notorious pride might elicit a hostile reaction, but much to her relief her Twentieth Seat took it in stride. "None taken, Captain. I'll readily admit that _is_ something we need to work on. I'm sure my uncle could use a lesson or two in self-awareness at the very least."

"That's putting it mildly," Soi-Fon muttered.

"Clan personalities might be better discussed at another time," Kisuke suggested, "Regardless of how entertaining a topic it might be."

"He's right," said Itachi, "If the group's next destination wasn't the Drakken Clan borderlands, then where did they go?"

"A bit further west of those," Yoruichi answered, "In fact, we passed through the general area on our journey out here. I know we didn't see any settlements out there, but back then there were plenty of them. The region wasn't under the Drakken Clan's direct control, but it was considered to be at the periphery of their sphere of influence. They didn't see it as having much value though apart from the trade routes that ran through it. Bandits had to be a bit more circumspect in operating out there, but they could still harass caravans and villages under the cover of darkness."

"Salt convoys were popular targets, if I recall correctly," Visaelya chimed in, "The major ones were always well guarded, but those under the control of less wealthy merchants generally couldn't afford the same level of protection. They either paid hefty bribes or suffered from brigand attacks. Classic protection racket, really."

Yoruichi nodded. "Pretty much. The big-time traders and merchants weren't affected, but the villages tended to rely a lot on those smaller caravans passing through and stopping for rest and supplies as a means of income. With raiders and thugs threatening the less wealthy merchants, that had a ripple effect on the local economy that relied on their business. Since these villages were at the very outskirts of the Drakken Clan's sphere of influence, they didn't get anywhere near the attention they deserved, so this racket had been going on for quite some time. Things were looking pretty grim, with a lot of villages on the verge of outright collapse."

Shisui gave a knowing smirk. "Let me guess; it was into this gloomy picture that our heroes came, right?"

"Hit the nail on the head there," Yoruichi confirmed, "Once she found out what was going on, our heroine couldn't just pass through without doing something to help. She convinced her companions that they needed to stick around and lend aid, so the three of them took some time to get the lay of the area and learn about the outlaws plaguing it. It didn't take too long for them to figure out the most common points of attack, as well as to identify the thugs that were involved on the shakedown side of things. While they weren't all operating under the same banner, there was one particular outlaw band that was stronger than the others. That's where the Lady of Midnight and her companions focused their attention. As it turned out, this had consequences beyond simply addressing the local bandit problem."

"What do you mean?" asked Aika.

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly as the proverbial light flicked on in her head. "Hold on a second… the leader of this outlaw band… wasn't he a rogue noble?"

Yoruichi smiled. "That's right. To be more precise, he was a disinherited second son of one of the Drakken Clan's cadet branches. If I recall correctly, he'd gotten into a rather serious scuffle with a member of the main branch. I think it was over a woman, although there are some conflicting accounts on that one."

Visaelya sighed wistfully, and there was just the hint of a blush on her face. "My personal favorite is the version where the second son of the cadet branch and the member of the main branch fought a duel for the hand of a wealthy merchant's daughter. According to the tale, the daughter actually loved the second son, but her hand had been promised by her father to the member of the main branch. The second son actually won the fight, but being defeated by someone from a cadet branch so infuriated his opponent and embarrassed the main branch that they actually had the victor exiled. Not exactly my family's finest moment, but it makes for a great tragic romance."

Shisui shot her a teasing smile. "I didn't know you were into those kinds of stories!"

Now there was most definitely more than just a _hint_ of a blush on Visaelya's face. "Well, I… I've loved them since I was a little girl! There's nothing wrong with that!"

Shisui laughed. "I never said there was! Jiraiya's right; you really need to loosen up a bit more."

Visaelya looked down in embarrassment, although Yoruichi thought she caught a very small smile appear on her face as she softly murmured her response. "I suppose I could… for you."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What was that? Didn't quite catch it."

Visaelya folded her arms and shot him a scowl, although her flushed cheeks completely took the bite out of the gesture. "You should pay more attention when a lady speaks. It's _rude_ to ask her to repeat herself."

 _Oh, you two_ , Yoruichi thought as she looked on with no small amount of amusement, _I'd say get a room, but that might cause poor Visaelya to faint on the spot!_

Kisuke cleared his throat in an effort to get things back on track. "Well, regardless of what version of the story we prefer, the fact remains that our heroine and her companions were dealing with a band of outlaws led by a former noble. Second son of a cadet branch or not, that _does_ come with certain benefits for our exiled aristocrat."

"Such as an upbringing inside an estate with tutors for combat training and spell casting," Soi-Fon chimed in, "Skills that this brigand leader had been putting to good use to further his criminal career."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "Just how powerful was this man?"

Yoruichi took a moment to consider the matter. "Well, at the time, kind of a mixed bag. Soi-Fon's not wrong about the prior training giving him an edge compared to other outlaws, and applied to more than just direct combat; he was able to provide relatively effective leadership and organization to his particular band of brigands as well. However, while his fighting skills were decent, the guy wasn't a prodigy or master swordsman. Also, his spirit energy was initially a bit on the lower side, which is surprising when one considers his pedigree; even cadet branches of the Five Great Noble Houses typically have strong spirit energy flowing through their offspring. Still, we can't exactly call him weak or dismiss the potential he had for growth back then with regards to both combat skill and spirit energy. After all, he gave us quite a fight today."

There was a moment of silence as the bulk of her audience properly absorbed what she'd just said. The shock seemed to hit the group in a ripple, starting with Itachi and spreading out from there. Her Sixteenth Seat's reaction was little more than a slight raising of both eyebrows, but the others were much more noticeable in their responses.

Aika gasped, stunned horror clear in her eyes. "Wait… _that_ was who you were fighting earlier, Captain?"

"A member of one of my clan's cadet branches… was responsible for what happened here?" Visaelya numbly murmured, and Yoruichi wasn't sure if the girl was talking to the group or to herself, "That _horrific_ spirit energy… that was a _Drakken?_ "

"What was left of one," Kisuke answered grimly, "His spirit energy was beyond twisted, but make no mistake; that _definitely_ used to be a member of your clan."

There was a subtle light in Soi-Fon's eyes as one of the pieces fell into place. "The crown, amulet, and ring… he stole those when he was exiled, didn't he?"

"You're close," Yoruichi replied, "The crown and the amulet worn by the wraith we fought today _were_ stolen by the second son when he was forced to leave, but not the ring. That was forged by the Lady of Midnight herself many years later… and it was one of five. We'll come back to that point a bit later."

Shisui shook his head in amazement. "Hard to believe we'd run into something like that out here. I know you told us to be ready for anything when we started this mission, but… well, I don't think any of us were ready for this."

Yoruichi nodded. "Can't really blame you there. I thought I'd run through all possible scenarios in my head on our journey out here, but I still had no idea what we were up against until I saw those images down in the catacombs."

She saw Itachi's eyes instantly narrow in recognition. "The image with the six figures, five of them kneeling… that was the Lady of Midnight and her companions, wasn't it?"

Yoruichi gave a heavy sigh. "Yes, it was. I didn't want to believe it, and the fact that the images were defaced gave me a measure of deniability, but… I think my heart already knew what my head didn't want to accept. Still, I didn't want to jump to conclusions. I wanted concrete proof… and boy, did I get it. I'm just glad that three of us were able to handle it."

"It was a close thing," Soi-Fon commented, "Not a fight I want a repeat of anytime soon, that's for sure."

"We might not have a choice in the matter," Kisuke noted grimly.

Aika glanced over at the Third Seat. "What are you talking about?"

"We'll come back to that later," Yoruichi deflected, rather eager to get things back on track, "We've still got quite a bit of ground to cover before we reach that point. Anyway, long story short, our heroine and her companions were able to defeat this particular outlaw tribe and force their leader to submit. Rather than put him to the sword or turn him into local authorities, though, the Lady of Midnight struck up a deal with him; join her group, and she'd give him a chance to redeem himself."

Shisui looked a bit taken aback by that. "That's quite generous of her… especially given how she and her bodyguard dealt with the earlier bandit groups."

"It _is_ an unusual move," Itachi concurred, "What prompted her to make it?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "I'm not sure, really. There are a few conflicting versions, although the most commonly accepted one is that she took pity on him when she learned of his prior situation. Personally, I think she just wanted to stick it to the big shots that had exiled him in the first place. Taking him on as a follower was basically one giant middle finger to the aristocratic politics of the Soul Society, which I think would fit her personality quite nicely."

Kisuke chuckled. "Another possibility is that she just found him too amusing to kill. Every version of the tale I've heard never fails to mention how he'd almost always be wearing the crown and amulet that he stole from Drakken Clan and strut about like a petty king. The Lady of Midnight might've thought that taking such a man and turning him into one of her followers was hilarious."

Visaelya nodded. "The versions I've heard _did_ make note of her having a rather odd sense of humor, so I can see such an explanation as plausible. Supposedly, the exiled second son also had kind of a bumbling side to him, almost a foolish streak. He had a tendency to make very impulsive decisions, often for no other reason than to simply shock others or gain some short-term amusement. A rather odd character, all things considered."

Yoruichi smiled. "I won't argue with you on that one. The rest of her companions weren't exactly sold on the idea, but given how the whole group became thick as thieves down the line it's safe to say the newcomer eventually grew on them. With a fresh addition to the group in tow and another region's difficulties lessened for at least a little while, it was time for the group to move on. Their course took them into the north, and that's where the nature of their opposition began to change."

"The north's a difficult place for your typical bandits to operate in," Soi-Fon elaborated, "It's harsh land, especially once you get a good way past the Whitefell Mountains. There is an abundance of mineral resources, but farmland's meager, barely enough to support local inhabitants. They rely much more on hunting and fishing, not to mention importing large quantities of agricultural goods from other parts of the Soul Society. Given the importance of those shipments, the supply caravans are almost always very well protected. The people who live in those lands are much tougher than other regions as well, and they're known to be both fierce and unforgiving. In short, there's no easy prey for brigands up there."

"But the Lady of Midnight and her companions wouldn't have gone up that way without good reason, right?" asked Aika, "If bandits weren't an issue, then what was?"

"Beasts," Kisuke answered, "and we're not just talking Hollows, although the north has always had its fair share of those. There are some real nasty creatures that live up there even in modern times, but back then it was _much_ worse. Even with the Order of the Valkyries and the private militias serving the Starmont Clan, that region has always had difficulty in keeping the nastier specimens of its wildlife under control. Cold drakes are by far the worst of the lot."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "I thought cold drakes tended to stick to the mountains. They might be fiercely territorial, but I was under the impression that they don't wander too far from the lands they consider to be their own."

"That's the case with the species nowadays," Visaelya confirmed, "but they weren't always so cautious. In fact, back then they were much more aggressive; it wasn't unheard of for entire settlements to be wiped out when a cold drake was in the mood for a feast."

Itachi's gaze met Yoruichi's, and she could tell that his mind was already one step ahead. "I take it that this aggression was curbed after the Lady of Midnight's arrival, yes?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Very good, Itachi. Of course, it didn't happen overnight. More to the point, while the cold drakes were definitely the biggest threat in the area, they weren't the only one. Dire wolves have roamed the north since ancient times, and they're far larger and stronger than the canines you might find in other parts of the Soul Society. They're also one of several creatures that actually incorporate a sense for tracking spirit energy into their hunting methods, which makes them extremely dangerous predators. Humans might not be their preferred prey, but when a brutal winter sets in they become much less picky about what they eat. Their numbers have waxed and waned over the ages as the inhabitants of the north organize hunts to cull the packs when they get too out of hand, but with the cold drakes also pressing down on them their resources were simply spread way too thin. This wasn't going to be a problem that our heroine and her companions could solve in just a few days."

Visaelya shook her head. "Not by a long shot. Cold drakes lack wings, unlike the dragons that inhabit my family's Principality, but they make up for with their incredible resilience. Their scales are notorious for their toughness; their durability can even put legendary sets of Spirit Armor to shame. Even high-level Kidō spells have a hard time piercing their hides. They only possess two weak points; their eyes, and on their backs where the head meets the neck."

"Neither of which would be easy targets," Soi-Fon chimed in, "Cold drakes are highly intelligent and guard their weak spots well. They're particularly fiendish foes for even highly skilled warriors and spell casters to contend with. Do not think of them as merely large and powerful beasts; they have every bit as much battlefield cunning as humans do, and more than a few would-be dragon slayers have found that out the hard way over the ages."

Itachi's brow furrowed. "Since the Lady of Midnight was a Mage, a cold drake sounds like one of the worst possible foes for someone like her. In fact, it seems like her group as a whole would be ill-suited to taking down such a creature. How did they compensate for this?"

Yoruichi chuckled. "Trial and error. It was touch and go for a while, and their first actual encounter with a cold drake damn near wound up being the end of the line. Fortunately, they got their butts bailed out at the last moment by a veteran hunter who was in the area at the time. This hunter did have prior experience with cold drakes, although he'd only tracked them and reported their movements to local militia rather than attempt to take one down himself. Still, that was more knowledge than our heroine and her friends had, so they weren't in any position to say no to his help."

"Did this hunter end up joining them?" asked Shisui.

Yoruichi nodded. "Jumping ahead a bit there, but I guess there's no point in beating around the bush. Originally, they were just going to hire him as a guide and advisor while they were operating in the north, but the Lady of Midnight quickly picked up on the fact that there was more to him than just your typical rugged native of the north. His spirit energy was considerable, and while up to that point he had been self-taught as far as using it, in her eyes he had great potential. He was also skilled with a variety of weapons including the sword, axe, knife and bow. His prowess as a tracker was far beyond that of anyone else in the group, and their need for such an individual over the long-term was hard to deny. In short, he was just the kind of recruit they required."

Itachi looked curious. "What kind of an individual was he?"

"Rather taciturn, if I recall the story correctly," Visaelya answered, "Polite enough when spoken to by others, but I don't think he was much of a people person. Granted, supposedly he had spent most of his life out in the wilderness hunting, so socializing wasn't a skill that he had needed to develop much until he joined up with them."

"He was very in-tune with nature," Kisuke added, "No big surprise when you consider his profession, but it went deeper than that. From what I've read, it seems he had an almost intuitive grasp of most animals, understanding them through their spirit energy as well as by observing natural cues. In fact, his knowledge of them was so comprehensive that he had even formed a bond with a dire wolf of all things, taking the creature as a pet and companion. Imagine the surprise of our heroine and her friends when a wolf larger than most people began licking them like an excited puppy!"

Soi-Fon gave an incredulous shake of her head. "Such a stupid risk, taking a creature like that as a pet…"

Aika smiled. "Maybe, but I bet having a companion like that would've really come in handy for tracking prey."

"Very much so," Yoruichi concurred, "According to the tales, the hunter had spent several years training this wolf so that its hunting abilities far surpassed those of its wild kin. So, when the group decided to take another shot at challenging one of the more overly-aggressive cold drakes, tracking it down proved to be the easy part. Slaying it was more of a challenge, but thanks to their new companion's expertise they at least knew what they were doing this time."

"How did they pull it off?" asked Shisui.

Yoruichi grinned. "Our heroes managed to find some appetizing bait. Thanks to her new friend, she had a better understanding of how to lure a cold drake into a trap. They naturally have a fondness for meat, but each individual specimen has its particular preferences. This one apparently had a taste for goats, which are one of the few livestock animals that do well in the north. They… oh, let's just say that our intrepid heroes _borrowed_ one from a local farm without permission, but with every intention of bringing it back."

"Assuming it survived, of course," Soi-Fon deadpanned.

Kisuke smirked. "Pretty big assumption there."

Yoruichi laughed. "No kidding! Believe it or not, though, the little guy actually came through that operation without a scratch. I imagine the poor thing was scared out of its mind, but it lived to much on plants another day. It probably helped that the Lady of Midnight had a soft spot for animals she considered to be cute. Anyway, long story short, the bodyguard was able to drop from a ledge onto the cold drake's back while it was distracted by the rest of the party, and he was able to find that sweet spot to plunge his sword into. One dead cold drake later, our heroine and her companions were the toast of the nearby village. Even the farmer they borrowed the goat from cut them some slack!"

Aika giggled. "He was probably happy he didn't have to worry about giant lizards eating his livestock anymore!"

"A safe assumption," Itachi concurred, "Were they able to apply the same strategy to subsequent encounters?"

"Not quite," Yoruichi replied, "They had to keep mixing things up. Like Soi-Fon said earlier, cold drakes are smart buggers. The trick that worked on one likely won't work on another, both because of individual varying tastes, other situational factors, and because cold drakes tend to take notice when one of their own falls to humans. Our heroine's hunts got more dangerous from then on out, but with each beast taken down the Lady of Midnight and her companions grew in both expertise and strength. It took several months, but eventually the remaining cold drakes figured hunting in the lower lands was no longer worth the risk. They retreated back up to their mountain lairs, having to settle for prey that was in their immediate territory rather than ranging afar for tastier morsels."

"That still left the wolves, though," Shisui pointed out, "I'm assuming there would've been far more of them than cold drakes, right?"

Visaelya nodded. "Definitely, and unlike the drakes, dire wolves operate in packs. They're not nearly as hard to kill individually, but a group of them is another matter. Their sense for spirit energy in particular makes them difficult to trap if a hunter has particularly strong spiritual pressure. Learning how to dampen one's spiritual pressure is crucial to hunting them, and even then, sometimes the wolves will still pick up on it."

"I've had to tangle with them myself a few times in the past," Kisuke chimed in, "Fascinating creatures, really. My missions at the time didn't give me a chance to study them in detail, though. Wouldn't mind the opportunity to correct that someday."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, next time we find ourselves up north, maybe I'll give you some time for observation. Hell, if you can tame one, I bet we'd be able to find all sorts of uses for it with our division."

Aika smiled. "It would make a cute mascot, too!"

Soi-Fon raised an eyebrow. "Twentieth Seat Hirata, have you ever _seen_ a full-grown dire wolf? 'Cute' is the very last thing that they are, I can assure you of that."

Yoruichi giggled. "Oh, I don't know about that. I've seen them a couple of times. Once you get past the fangs and the claws, they're kind of adorable!"

Soi-Fon sighed. "Lady Yoruichi, _please_ don't encourage her."

"How large are typical packs?" asked Itachi, "My travels in my particular Realm of the Living gave me plenty of opportunities to witness wolves on the prowl. Average pack size tended to vary a bit, but there was usually between a score or so to as many as forty."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed as she mulled it over. "Well, I'm not exactly an expert on them, but off the top of my head… oh, I'd say probably around a dozen or so. Since they're bigger than your typical wolves they require more food, which means that larger packs are difficult to maintain. However, sometimes rival packs will actually cooperate if there's a significantly juicy prize on the line. Some of the larger goat farms in the southernmost parts of the northern lands would probably attract that kind of attention."

"While the cold drakes were in their aggressive phase, the dire wolves were naturally considered to be a less pressing threat," Visaelya added, "Of course, once enough drakes had been eliminated that the rest decided to retreat to safer grounds, that gave the Lady of Midnight and her friends a chance to really focus on them. While their sense for spirit energy might've made actively hunting them a difficult process, they were much easier to bait than cold drakes on account of them being far less picky when it comes to meat."

Kisuke nodded. "Their sense of smell is by far their greatest strength, and when they catch a hint of something particularly appetizing, they can oftentimes throw caution to the wind. Our heroine and her companions were able to capitalize on that and begin putting a dent in the packs. It still took them several months to make an appreciable dent in the population, but eventually they got them back down to levels that the local farmers and militias could handle again."

Shisui smiled. "And after that, it was time to move on again, right?"

"You got it," said Yoruichi, "Having wrapped things up in the north, they moved southwest. Their course took them towards the lands between the Rukon District and the Kuchiki Clan's Principality. The nature of the problems they had to deal with out there shifted away from aggressive and dangerous animals back towards more familiar issues involving people rather than beats."

"Bandits, I presume," said Itachi, "Were the Kuchiki Principality's borderlands poorly defended like those of the Shiba Clan back then?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Kuchiki Clan's actually the wealthiest of the Five Great Noble Houses, and they guard that wealth fiercely. Their ancestral homeland had always been _very_ well protected. However, those defenses are all predicated around warding off exterior threats and keeping the trade routes running through the Principality secure. They're highly proficient in dealing with brigands and the like, and they routinely mount expeditionary strikes into the regions just beyond their immediate borders in order to project force and act as a deterrent. What they're absolutely _atrocious_ at handling, though, is internal corruption… and given enough time, that kind of rot inevitably seeps outwards."

Visaelya gave a solemn nod. "I remember this part. The Kuchiki Clan has always tried to present a pristine image; the noblest of nobles, if you want to go that far. However, that family has produced its share of greedy and egotistical lords as well, just like the rest of the Five Great Noble Houses. The only difference is the lengths that the family will go to in order to prevent word their misdeeds from leaking out, not to mention shielding them from outside accountability when secrecy fails. They take pride in administering their own internal justice, but one can just as easily argue that they take far too long to administer said justice in the first place."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "So, it was a corrupt member of the renowned Kuchiki Clan that our intrepid heroes had to deal with?"

Yoruichi sighed. "Yes, and one of the very worst, in fact. On the surface, he didn't look like much. He wasn't a firstborn of the clan, or even second. In fact, I think that particular generation of the family had something like seven or eight children. The one that our particular story is concerned had been pretty far down the line of succession and inheritance, and it showed; he was bitter and resentful, and chose to vent his frustrations through gambling, drinking and whoring. They tried to snap him out of it with heavy doses of that famous Kuchiki Clan discipline, including intense warrior training that they hoped would at least get him to channel his anger into something useful. No matter what they tried, though, they couldn't make a breakthrough with him. He didn't _want_ to change; he was far too petty and vindictive for that. Obviously, the Kuchiki Clan wasn't going to give such an individual any real semblance of authority even within their own Principality, and he was far too embarrassing to send to heart of the Soul Society. So, they shuffled him off to one of the trade towns along the eastern border of the Principality. Officially, he was the chief customs official, but the family had been sure to invest all _real_ authority into his deputy, and everyone knew it. Originally, it wasn't a bad idea; it _did_ keep him out of the eyes of the broader Soul Society for the most part, and since that family's obscenely rich even by noble standards it wasn't hard for them to set him up with a substantial stipend to keep him out of trouble."

Kisuke gave a rueful chuckle. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. The guy's gambling habit got even worse, and there was only so much that the clan would tolerate even from someone they'd already written off as a lost cause. He was well aware of that, and so he started to look for _alternative_ income streams, so to speak."

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "I'm going to hazard a guess that this involved getting into some less-than-legal activity. Am I on the right track?"

"You got it," Yoruichi answered, "While he might've been set up as a figurehead official, he still had full access to all information regarding who and what was passing through the checkpoint at his particular border. Needless to say, there are quite a few ways that enterprising criminals can make use of that kind of knowledge. All the guy had to do was drop a few hints at his favorite gambling halls, and in practically no time at all he turned himself into a major player in the local criminal underworld."

"What did he get into?" asked Aika nervously.

"It started out small," Yoruichi replied, "Skimming choice goods from shipments here and there, forging fake documentation to allow people to pass through the checkpoint that otherwise would've been denied entrance, and other such crimes. Not the sort of things that would've caught the attention of the Lady of Midnight and her companions at first glance. However, this had been going on for quite a while, and the operation had expanded considerably. With fresh funds that the Kuchiki Clan couldn't trace at his disposal, he was able to buy off the deputy that his family had charged with actually overseeing the day-to-day business of the checkpoint. From there, things began to escalate."

Itachi's brow furrowed. "How bad did it get?"

"Pretty bad," said Yoruichi, "His operation grew into a full-on crime ring. Smuggling and extortion became rampant, and he got most of the checkpoint staff on the payroll. From there, he set his sights on bigger scores. A large chunk of the Kuchiki Clan's wealth comes from the fact that their Principality has some of the most fertile farmland in all of the Soul Society. As such, the villages in borderlands and beyond tend to rely on shipments from them to supplement their own harvests and make sure they have enough on hand for the winter. In order to further line his pockets, this guy started holding up those shipments, officially for contraband searches but in reality, to shake down the merchants. They had to pay exorbitant bribes to get through, and to make matters worse this checkpoint was along one of the safest trade routes, meaning he always had a steady supply of merchants who would have no choice but to make the payments. The costs of those bribes inevitably got passed along to the people who had to purchase their goods to survive. To make matters worse, goods began to 'disappear' from the caravans of less-wealthy merchants only to be resold at inflated prices on what became a rapidly-growing black market."

"That's not even the worst of it," Soi-Fon added grimly, "This guy had… _other_ interests apart from simply lining his pockets."

Aika shuddered. "How low did he go?"

"All the way to the bottom," Yoruichi answered, "There were more than just caravans leaving the Principality and heading to villages or the heart of the Soul Society. Those outlying villages relied on selling their goods within the Kuchiki Clan's homelands for income. That means large groups of villagers would come to the Principality and pass through the checkpoint… and that included plenty of women."

A dark look came to Visaelya's eyes. "I've done some reading on organized crime in the Soul Society. From what I understand, attractive girls from the countryside go for a high price at the underground brothels within the Principalities and the core of the Soul Society. I imagine it was the same back then as it is now."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're not wrong. When the families of these girls came through the checkpoints with their caravans, the corrupt customs chief and his underlings kept an eye out for any that they thought would be worth selling. Once the families settled down in town to rest for the night, that's when they made their move. The girls were kidnapped and forced into slavery, and any family that tried to get them back found not only their daughters being held hostage, but also their cargo and thus their livelihood. By the time the operation got this far, practically the entirety of the checkpoint staff were in on it. They were very good at keeping a lid on things, so word never reached the Kuchiki Clan about what their disgraceful son was doing. Word _did_ get out to the countryside villages though, courtesy of the families that returned home… and it was there that the Lady of Midnight and her companions discovered what was going on."

"As you might imagine, this didn't sit too well with our heroine," Kisuke added.

"I bet," Shisui quipped.

Itachi looked thoughtful. "Obviously, she would want to stop it, but the big question would've been _how_. These weren't common brigands or beasts, after all. Corrupt to the core though they might've been, officially the disgraced son and his men were all officials in the employ of one of the Five Great Noble Houses. That's an entirely different sort of beast to take on, as it were."

Yoruichi smiled. "You're right about that. It definitely wasn't a threat that they could attack head-on. They had to rely on patience and cunning before making their move. After all, a direct strike would've brought down the ire of the Kuchiki Clan, especially if they didn't have solid evidence to back up corruption charges. Disgrace or not, this was still one of the clan's sons that they were going after. Great Noble Houses protect their own, even when those being protected really don't deserve it."

Visaelya shook her head vehemently. "It's disgraceful. Clan pride is all well and good, but it shouldn't come at the cost of the general well-being. This sorry excuse of a Kuchiki was preying upon honest citizens and making their lives an utter hell. The clan should've thrown him to the wolves, not given him a government post!"

"The Kuchiki Clan of the present day would've done just that," said Soi-Fon, "Great Noble Houses still protect their own, but that shameful past episode convinced the family to tighten up their internal discipline. It can still take time for offenders to be properly punished, but this was a particularly egregious case that they're quite eager to avoid a repeat of."

Yoruichi nodded. "It definitely wasn't a good look for the clan, and it would only get worse. The Lady of Midnight became determined to not only bring this particular piece of scum to justice, but to do so in a way that would give the Kuchiki family no choice but to reform."

Kisuke smirked. "She concocted quite the bold scheme to accomplish that, too."

"What was the plan?" asked Shisui.

Yoruichi grinned. "A good old-fashioned sting operation! Basically, she and her companions accompanied a village trade caravan that was going to the Kuchiki Clan's Principality for regular business. In order to entice this corrupt official, she disguised herself as a farmer's daughter accompanying her family."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't she have stood out regardless of any attempts to disguise herself? As a daughter of the Shihōin Clan, her appearance would've been rather distinctive compared to that of local girls."

Yoruichi giggled and batted her eyelashes at him. "You've got another daughter of the Shihōin Clan right here, Itachi! You trying to say something?"

She could've sworn she caught just the hint of a blush flash across his face, if only for a moment, and he recovered quickly enough. "Only that someone from your family would look different from the people who live in the Kuchiki Clan's Principality or the surrounding region. It'd be difficult for her to pass as one of the countryside farmgirls that the official's operation was targeting."

She was tempted to try teasing him a bit more, but now was hardly an appropriate time for it. "You are correct about that. However, her solution to that was one that I think you'd appreciate. You see, her abilities as a Mage had grown considerably over the course of her journey thus far. She was always looking for opportunities to experiment and push the boundaries of her capabilities, and this was a perfect chance for her to try out a spell she'd been working on. It was an illusion technique, one where she could alter how people perceived her appearance. Not a perfect one; she had to supplement the spell with clothing that fit her role, and she did dirty herself up a bit as a finishing touch. Still, the effect as a whole got the job done. When they made it to the checkpoint, the official's lackeys took the bait without hesitation."

"Her bodyguard couldn't have been happy about this," Aika pointed out, "Where was he and the rest of her companions while this was happening?"

"Disguised as peasants with the caravan," Yoruichi answered, "Once they were sure that she'd drawn the necessary attention, they shadowed her and the lackeys. One of the villagers had agreed to play the part of her 'father' in order to sell the deception, and he was with her when the two of them were led into a gambling hall. The setup was simple; he'd try his hand at the dice, win a few rounds before those running the operation inevitably decided that it was time for his 'luck' to run out. Then he'd start losing, eventually having no choice but to use his 'daughter' as collateral when the bill came due."

Shisui nodded. "A simple enough plan. Provide bait that the enemy will find sufficiently enticing, and blend in with a group that are already considered to be marks for the con. The corrupt official and his lackeys would already be predisposed to underestimating villagers from the countryside, so the idea of being undermined by someone from that very group wouldn't occur to them. Hopefully the villager playing the part of her 'father' was ready for what he was getting himself into."

"From what I recall of the tale, it seems he was made of pretty stern stuff," Visaelya commented, "The Lady of Midnight provided the funds for the game. Since they were spoils taken from bandits they had defeated earlier in their travels, I believe she likely found some amusement in using stolen coin as part of a plan to bring down a criminal operation."

Kisuke chuckled. "Yeah, that sounds about right. The stories always agreed that she had a particular fondness for making the justice she dished out poetic in nature if the opportunity presented itself."

Yoruichi licked her lips in anticipation; she always enjoyed this part of the story. "Yup, and this was very much a case of karmic retribution. Anyway, long story short, her 'father' lost badly enough that she was taken in exchange. They hauled her off to a nearby warehouse where they were holding other girls they had taken from recent caravans. Typically, they would keep them locked up for a few days while they lined up buyers. The building was lightly guarded; the thugs were used to watching over poor and defenseless women. Needless to say, they weren't ready for a Mage to be dropped into the midst, and that's not even counting her companions that had been shadowing her and her captors the whole time. Before the guards knew what was happening, she'd already knocked most of them out with spells, and the few that were still standing didn't last long when her bodyguard showed up."

"I'm assuming that she needed them alive for interrogation," said Itachi, "It wouldn't do much good to just take out the low-hanging fruit while leaving the corrupt official at the heart of the operation unscathed, after all."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're not wrong there. The guys she and her friends had taken out were all grunts, but they still knew enough about the ins and outs of the operation to be useful. Some of the higher-ranking goons in the crime ring came to see what was going on when their flunkies failed to report, and naturally it didn't take long for the Lady of Midnight and her companions to capture them as well. With just how thoroughly corrupt the staff at the checkpoint were, they obviously couldn't just hand them over to local authorities. They needed to draw in the big shots, and seizing the rotten son of Kuchiki Clan that had started this whole mess definitely got the desired attention."

"If I remember correctly, I think it was another son of the Kuchiki Clan that served as the family's initial representative on the scene," said Visaelya, "One of the culprit's elder brothers, I believe."

Yoruichi smiled. "Good memory. It was actually the third eldest son of that generation. Smart young man, although the stories all agree that he was a bit on the shy side. He was a decent swordsman too, although not exactly outstanding. His real talent lay in spell casting. I think the clan actually had an eye on grooming him to be the Mage of the bunch. He might not have been the Lady of Midnight's equal, but he definitely had plenty of skill and power. Unfortunately for the clan, he was rather impressionable and idealistic… which meant that they had a problem when he met the Lady of Midnight and her companions."

A knowing look came to Shisui's eyes. "I think I see where this is going. He wound up being rather taken with our heroine, didn't he?"

Yoruichi laughed. "More like smitten, really! Poor guy developed a crush the moment he laid eyes on her. She was quick to notice, too… and she wasn't above taking advantage of it."

"She turned him into an ally," said Itachi, and Yoruichi knew that his mind was already moving several steps ahead, "She recognized how useful it would be to have a member of the Kuchiki Clan on her side in this matter. Having another son vouch for her case would make bringing the corrupt one to justice much easier."

Yoruichi grinned. "Exactly. He managed to get the ball rolling pretty quickly, sending word to the head of the family so that they could arrange a proper inquiry and trial. As luck would have it, the family patriarch was actually in the Principality taking a break from the aristocratic politics at the heart of the Soul Society, so setting everything up wasn't that difficult. However, there was one problem. You see, not all of the corrupt son's lackeys had been rounded up, and those that were still at large made an attempt at freeing their boss."

Aika raised an eyebrow. "That's a surprising display of loyalty. I would've thought that such thugs would fend for themselves if their leader got caught."

"They'd become used to the easy lifestyle they'd gained while under his leadership," Kisuke pointed out, "They were short-sighted and thought that springing him while taking out his captors would help things go back to business as usual. I almost have to feel sorry for the idiots; they really had no idea who they were up against."

Soi-Fon shook her head disdainfully. "They were two-bit thugs with too much greed and not nearly enough brains. They deserved what they got when they attempted that ridiculous jailbreak stunt."

Shisui chuckled. "I take it the attempt to free their leader went poorly, then?

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "That's putting it mildly. Sure, they managed to get past the guards outside, but the Lady of Midnight, her companions and that other son of the Kuchiki Clan were part of the inner layer of security. The thugs had tried to make their move at night when everyone was sleeping, but our heroine and her companions had organized themselves into shifts just in case something like this happened. There was a brief bit of fighting, but the thugs were doomed from the start. It wasn't really much of a scuffle, although it did give the third son of the Kuchiki Clan a chance to show off his combat abilities… and the Lady of Midnight took note."

The look in Itachi's eyes was all Yoruichi needed to know that he saw where this was going. "He became the fifth companion… and, eventually, the fifth wraith."

Yoruichi gave a solemn sigh. "Yeah, he did. It's a shame, really. From what the stories say, it sounds like the guy was a real sweetheart."

Aika shook her head. "I don't understand. It sounds like she genuinely cared for the people she travelled with. If that was the case, though, why would she turn them into undead monsters?"

Yoruichi closed her eyes for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "In a way, I think it was _because_ she came to care so deeply for them. All the adventures she had with them, the time she spent with them… from what I've read, it sounds like those were some of the happiest days of her life. In that light, what happened years down the road… well, we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Remember, these were the early days. They were all alive and well, and their adventures had only just gotten started."

"What happened with the Kuchiki Clan?" asked Shisui, "From what you and Visaelya have said so far, it sounds like they would've had an uphill fight in bringing the corrupt son to justice even with another son of the family on their side."

"That's putting it mildly," Visaelya chimed in, "Things got even worse once the family realized that it was a member of the Shihōin Clan at the heart of this affair. Those two Great Noble Houses get along fine nowadays, but back then things were a bit rocky. The fact that it was the eldest daughter of the Shihōin Clan they were dealing with here definitely ratcheted the tension up. After all, it wasn't exactly hard for them to interpret this as the Shihōin Clan interfering in the affairs of the Kuchiki Clan's Principality, even though her departure from the clan estate at the start of her journey had been very public and obviously against the will of her family."

Soi-Fon nodded. "The situation was a delicate one. Noble families have a tendency to make things much more complicated than they should be. The Shihōin Clan actually had to dispatch an envoy to the Kuchiki Clan's Principality to help smooth things over. It wound up being one of the Lady of Midnight's aunts that took on the role, and naturally a considerable amount of time was required for her to make the trip. In the meantime, the corrupt son was held under house arrest while the Lady of Midnight and her companions because guests of the Kuchiki Clan."

Kisuke smirked. "I don't know if 'guests' is really the right word. They were under almost constant watch, to the point that you could almost consider them to be under a milder form of house arrest than the corrupt son. The Lady of Midnight was less than happy with this arrangement, but her companions managed to convince her to avoid rocking the boat any further, so to speak."

"No kidding," said Yoruichi, "Suffice to say that they kept things from blowing up in everyone's faces, but it was definitely touch and go for a while there. Eventually they had a proper trial, and the crime ring that had thoroughly taken over the checkpoint and strangled trade with the outlying villages was decisively dealt with. Our heroine's aunt tried to convince her to return home, but she was having none of it. Her mindset was firmly that of an adventurer now. She had tasted the true vastness of the Soul Society, and she wasn't about to give that up anytime soon."

"Her family was probably less than pleased with that," Shisui ventured.

"Of course," said Visaelya, "but it wasn't like there was anything that they could do about it. With her power and that of her companions, she could travel across the Soul Society in full confidence that she could deal with any threat that came her way. In the face of just how strong she had become, the Shihōin Clan would've had to physically restrain her, and at that point it was likely that only her sisters could've accomplished such a feat."

"And neither of them was anywhere near the Kuchiki Principality," Soi-Fon added, "As far as the Lady of Midnight was concerned, after the trial she was free to go wherever she wished. That third son of the Kuchiki Clan naturally tagged along, not caring that the rest of his family was against it. Given how it all ultimately ended, they were right to be concerned. Still, they couldn't have known what fate would befall him, especially since it wouldn't come until many years later."

"Where did they go next?" asked Itachi, "If they continued following the rough course they'd been on since the start of the journey, they would've wound up drawing near to the Shihōin Clan's Principality. From what I understand, it seems like that's a particular region the Lady of Midnight would want to avoid for the time being."

Yoruichi nodded. "She would eventually go to the clan's ancestral homeland, but she wasn't ready for that just yet. Instead, she and her companions actually went deeper into the Kuchiki Clan's Principality."

Aika looked confused. "Really? Why? Given all that had just happened, wouldn't she be less than welcome in those lands? Even if she and her friends had taken down a criminal operation, the fact that they had tangled with a son of the Kuchiki Clan in the process would've made the family quite eager to get rid of them."

"They certainly had worn out their welcome with the Kuchiki Clan," Yoruichi conceded, "but it was another story with the common folk. Word of what had happened at the checkpoint spread quickly, and their popularity got quite a boost as a result. People became eager to host them as a way of giving thanks for what they had done; the corruption of the Kuchiki Clan's disgraced son had been an open secret, and given just how much business had been forced to go through that checkpoint people far and wide were grateful that the source of their woes had been ousted. However, the newfound fame didn't mean much to the Lady of Midnight and her friends. You see, she had already made up her mind as to her next destination. The reason they were going deeper into the Principality was that she had her sights set on its major port city. She wanted to charter a ship, and she was taking the most direct path to it."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "A ship? Where in the world did she plan on taking it?"

Yoruichi leaned forward. "Think about the era in which they lived in. What was out at sea to the west of the Kuchiki Clan Principality?"

Itachi beat Shisui to the punch. "The island where the old kingdom had been founded before its conquest of the Soul Society."

Yoruichi smiled. "Exactly. Our heroine's powers had grown considerably over the course of her travels, but there was still so much more that she wanted to learn, and she knew that island was where she would be able to advance her knowledge to the next stage. Remember, the spells crafted by the old kingdom were on a whole different level than what we practice today; much was lost in the aftermath of the downfall, particularly due to the Central Forty-Six censoring records in their efforts to make sure that the kingdom couldn't rise again. At the time that our heroine and her friends lived, that island's people and culture were at their peak, a wellspring of ancient knowledge just waiting to be accessed. It was the group's first time at sea, and the voyage was rough, but eventually they reached their destination. They spent no less than three years on that island, all of them devoting themselves to further developing their abilities."

"What made her think that she would be given access to the knowledge they held, though?" asked Aika, "She was an outsider, after all."

Yoruichi shook her head. "Perhaps, but she was more than that. Remember the lineage of the Five Great Noble Houses; each one of them had a princess of the royal family marry into them during the conquering of the Soul Society. Shihōin, Drakken, Kuchiki, Shiba, and Starmont; these are not just noble lines, but _royal_ ones, no matter how much the Central Forty-Six likes to downplay that these days. The Lady of Midnight's blood ties gave her the access she desired, and she took full advantage of it."

Visaelya sighed wistfully. "To be able to examine the archives held on that island… I must admit, I'm jealous of her. So much was lost when the Head Captain laid waste to it during the downfall."

"Much of it was priceless beyond measure," Soi-Fon concurred, although there was a dark look in her eyes, "However… some things are better left forgotten. The knowledge that sprang from that island was both a blessing and a curse."

Kisuke nodded somberly. "The Andunayans were at the cutting edge of spell casting in the Soul Society. They ascended to great peaks… but the shadows cast by those mountains of knowledge were _very_ dark."

Once again, Yoruichi saw that Itachi had already drawn the logical conclusion. "The knowledge needed to create wraiths… she found it there, didn't she?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Yes. Theories regarding the flow of souls between the Soul Society and the various Realms of the Living, the potential for reversing that flow and the possible consequences of it… no one had yet put it into a cohesive picture, but it was all there. When she wasn't training with her friends, she would spend countless hours delving into the knowledge of casters long dead, discovering the pathway to many abilities that we would consider to be unnatural for souls. Much further research down the line would be required on her part to bring it all together into her final dark masterpieces, but it was on that island that the foundations were laid. She still had that powerful desire to make a difference for the better in the Soul Society, but her passionate search for knowledge that would aid her efforts proved to be a double-edged sword."

"Did her companions know what she was reading up on?" asked Shisui.

"I'm sure they had their suspicions," Yoruichi answered, "but I doubt that any of them could really appreciate true depth of the material she was studying. Remember, she was the kind of spell caster that comes along only once in a thousand years; she was _far_ beyond her friends when it came to that sort of research. Only another highly seasoned and gifted caster would be able to fully comprehend the tomes she poured over for hours on end. Her companions might've picked up a few hints that her studies were going in a dark direction, but it's unlikely that they understood just what she was really getting into. Besides, it would still be many years before she would begin to put the darker aspects of this newfound knowledge to real use."

Visaelya smiled. "On a brighter note, I believe it's around this time that the tales take a turn for… well, the romantic. Three years was a long time to pass on that island, and her thoughts weren't just on her studies."

Kisuke chuckled. "Ah, I'd forgotten about that. I should've known that our other resident Great House noble would bring that up."

Yoruichi couldn't help but give a small laugh at that. "You're right! Well, I suppose it was natural. After all, her journey had begun quite some time ago… and one young man had been with her from the very start."

"The apprentice bodyguard," said Shisui, "although I suppose he was far past being an apprentice by this point."

Yoruichi nodded. "You've got that right. He'd grown as much as her, and she hadn't been blind to it. Now a master swordsman in his own right, and one that had dedicated everything to protecting her, not to mention being pretty easy on the eyes if the tales are to be believed… well, is it really a surprise that sparks had begun to fly? Suffice to say, with only training and studying to occupy their time on that island, the feelings that had been slowly growing throughout the course of their travels finally boiled over. There are varying accounts as to how it happened, but they all have this much in common; about one year into their stay, things suddenly got _very_ hot and steamy beneath the starlight on that island. From that point forward, they never so much as considered the possibility of taking another partner. The two of them… they knew that they were meant to be together."

Visaelya's smile grew slightly, and Yoruichi could detect more than a hint of wistfulness in it. "In the last of the three years that they spent on that island, the two of them wed. There was an absolute uproar when word made it to the mainland; needless to say, her parents hadn't planned on her marrying her bodyguard. I remember my tutor's disapproval when she told me about that part, saying it wasn't proper behavior for a noble's daughter… and she got rather angry when I said that I found it romantic. She tried to disabuse me of that notion, but… well, suffice to say she had little success in that endeavor."

Shisui gave her a teasing grin. "You were the type of girl who hid her fascination with romance novels from her parents, weren't you? Do you got a stash hidden away in your room back at the barracks?"

Visaelya's face turned bright red at that. "I… that's none of your business!"

"That wasn't a 'no'," Shisui pointed out.

Soi-Fon cleared her throat. "Let's stay on topic, shall we? We need to get through this sometime tonight, after all."

Visaelya quickly concurred, although Yoruichi didn't fail to notice that it came a bit _too_ hastily. "Yes, I quite agree!"

"So, what was next?" asked Itachi, "I presume that the knowledge gained on the island where the old kingdom was born would've been of invaluable aid in her quest to improve life in the Soul Society. Did she have a plan to apply that knowledge when she returned to the mainland?"

Yoruichi nodded. "She did, but first she wanted a place to safely store and organize that knowledge, somewhere that she could return to in order to update and expand upon the information and techniques that she had researched during those three years away from the continent. It was customary for Mages to construct their own libraries down the line, but she wanted to get a head start on things. So, the ship she chartered to return to the continental Soul Society didn't take her to the same port in the Kuchiki Clan Principality that she'd originally departed from. Instead, that vessel made its way south, eventually showing up in the Shihōin Clan Principality's primary port."

"What kind of reception did she get?" asked Shisui.

Yoruichi smiled. "A warmer one than you might think. Her parents were back at the estate maintained by the family in the Seireitei, so she didn't have to worry about facing them just yet. One of her sisters, the warrior, was also in the Seireitei, but the younger one was in the Principality and on hand to greet her when the ship arrived. In fact, if the stories are right, it seems she even knew exactly which ship the Lady of Midnight and her companions would be on. I know the tales all agree that she was an incredibly gifted assassin and spy, but I find it hard to believe that she would've had intelligence sources at that point in her life that could've told her precisely which ship her older sister and her friends would be returning to the continental Soul Society on. If I had to guess, I'd say that she detected them through their spirit energy; being able to sense people at great distances was supposed to be another talent of hers. Anyway, she didn't care about the political sensation that had blown up when the Lady of Midnight married her bodyguard; she was just happy to see her oldest sister again."

"What was she like?" asked Aika, "The younger sister, I mean."

Yoruichi gave it a moment of consideration. "A bit of an enigma, actually. Friendly enough, and as her manner of greeting her oldest sister shows she certainly cared about her immediate family. However, given her areas of expertise, it's no surprise that the clan accounts all mention her secretive nature. She always played her cards close to the chest, even when it came to family. She wasn't a full-on warrior like the middle daughter or a spell casting prodigy like her eldest sister. Speed, stealth and deception were her calling cards… not to mention a ruthless streak. She wasn't an honorable fighter by any stretch of the imagination; she would do whatever it took to win, no matter what kind of dirty tricks were required to get the job done."

"A perfect encapsulation of Squad Two's combat doctrine," Itachi noted, "She would've done well in our division."

Yoruichi smirked. "Are you really surprised? The majority of this division's Captains have come from the Shihōin Clan. My family's philosophy is Squad Two's philosophy; our fondness for speed and the shadows inform our doctrine."

Itachi nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

"Secrecy and deception are all well and good," said Shisui, "but what about contingency planning? The younger sister couldn't have gone to meet her sibling without being aware of the political ramifications behind her return and her new marriage. Did she at least have some kind of idea as to how to address that?"

"It wasn't her place to do so," Yoruichi answered, "At the time, although her prowess in the art of assassination and espionage had advanced tremendously, she was still very much focused on refining her abilities and planting the seeds of her own intelligence network. Family politics weren't something that she participated in much during those days; she preferred to leave it to her parents. She would eventually inform them of the Lady of Midnight's return, but she delayed sending out the message for a few crucial days; she wanted to buy her sister some time to plan her next move."

"She must've begun commissioning architects for her library in this time period," Visaelya mused aloud, "All the tales state that the initial structure was completed around this point in her life, but her parents likely would've refused to allow construction had they been physically present in the Principality when she arrived. To lay the groundwork and have construction commence far enough along that it would be pointless to stop it by the time her parents returned to the Principality would've required a considerable amount of resources and talented personnel."

"She'd likely already figured out a rough idea for what kind of structure she wanted while on the ship heading back to the continent," Kisuke guessed, "That's the only thing I can think of that would explain how quickly it got put together. Once she had the plan, all she had to do was marshal the appropriate resources. Having a friendly sister on hand and no meddlesome parents in the Principality at the time was a stroke of good fortune."

"No argument there," said Yoruichi, "She'd already transcribed the material that she'd read on the island, so she had plenty of material that she wanted to categorize and secure quickly. The structure was actually rather modest in initial appearance, but that was because she'd ordered that the bulk of it be underground. Initially it had a few main subterranean vaults, but there was plenty of room for expansion, and indeed it had more than its share of growth over the ages. A shame that it was demolished after her fall; I would've liked to see it for myself. We're getting ahead of ourselves here, though. The important bit was that it was up and running by the time her parents returned to the Principality, and she'd already shifted the bulk of her study materials to it. The defenses consisted primarily of unique and powerful barrier spells that she'd come up with over the course of her studies, along with several nasty traps for anyone who managed to slip through those outer wards without her permission."

"That structure was more than just a library," Visaelya added, "If I recall correctly, the stories say that it also served as a place of shelter for the Lady of Midnight and her companions as well. It was fully equipped with living quarters for the lot of them, and while they might not have been luxurious, they were certainly more than adequate for their needs. I believe she had to make use of it in that capacity quite quickly; she wasn't eager to face her parents at the clan's ancestral palace."

Shisui shook his head. "Maybe, but a confrontation was inevitable. She had to have realized that."

"Of course, she did," Yoruichi replied, "but none of us are ever really eager for an argument with our parents. I'm pretty sure that's remained true throughout the ages, and this instance was hardly any different. Anyway, after a few days of sending messengers back and forth, she finally went home and had it out with her mother and father. Things got pretty heated; they were demanding the marriage be annulled, and she flat out refused them. Eventually they relented, but it was clear that a rift had been torn between them."

"Did they disinherit her?" asked Aika, "She might've been the eldest daughter, but there were her two sisters as well."

"I'm sure they considered it," Yoruichi replied, "but in the end that wasn't really a viable option. The surprise wedding with her bodyguard had been a big enough scandal on its own, but disinheriting their eldest daughter would've been another one entirely, especially given her clearly demonstrated talents. Rebellious or not, her abilities already rivaled that of the master spell casters of the time period, and she was just getting started. Her parents figured that if they could no longer exert direct control, they could at least attempt to influence her from here on in and try to convince her to use her powers for the benefit of the clan."

"Shortsighted," said Itachi, and Yoruichi didn't miss that slight hint of disdain in his voice, "Thinking of what she could do for the clan rather than the Soul Society as a whole. Whether in the afterlife or the Realms of the Living, some things never change…"

Yoruichi saw him share a look with Shisui, and Squad Two's Tenth Seat gave him a small nod. The Captain had figured Itachi would sympathize with the Lady of Midnight in this part of the story; after all, the young man certainly knew a thing or two about prideful clans.

 _Sorry if I accidentally rubbed the old wounds with that, Itachi_ , she thought, _I wasn't trying to draw parallels between my ancestors and the Uchiha, but I suppose the similarities here would be impossible for you to ignore._

Shisui returned his gaze to Yoruichi a moment later. " _Were_ they able to exert any of that hoped-for influence?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Not really. The family tried to at least keep things civil between each other and put on a front for the outside world, but it was clear the damage had been done. She spent most of the subsequent weeks in her library, only going to the clan palace to occasionally share a meal with her parents and catch up with them. I believe they at least attempted to maintain a loving family relationship, but the fact that her parents couldn't accept the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with as an equal spouse remained a bitter point of contention. The clan's grown a bit more egalitarian and tolerant since those days, but it's been a slow process… one that still needs plenty of work."

Visaelya gave her a knowing nod. "All of the noble families in the Soul Society could use some fresh effort on that front."

Yoruichi smiled; her Eighteenth Seat had pleasantly surprised her with that small gesture of solidarity. "You're right about that. Anyway, it wasn't like our heroine would stick around for much more family drama. After she was satisfied that everything was in order with her library and that the clan had no way to interfere with her marriage legally, it was time to hit the road again. This kicked off a cycle that would repeat many times over the span of the next few centuries; she and her companions would travel far and wide across the Soul Society helping people, periodically returning to the Shihōin Clan Principality so she could update her library with newfound knowledge and spell theory. As you might imagine, her fame grew considerably over this time period, and it was her penchant for delivering justice well after sundown that gave rise to the moniker that's endured over the millennia."

Itachi leaned forward slightly, his gaze locked with Yoruichi's. "She might've been a hero in those days, but we already know she didn't remain one. So, where did it all go wrong?"

Yoruichi sighed. "It began with bitter disillusionment. No matter how many individual villages they saved from bandits or overly aggressive fauna, or how many corrupt officials and their lackeys that they removed from positions of power, it never seemed to be enough. For her and her companions, the so-called 'golden age' had lost its sparkle. The heart of the Soul Society and the strongholds that were the five Principalities remained secure and prosperous, but people in the lands between continued to suffer while the central government and the powerful nobles did little to help. At this point, her reputation was very strong and still positive amongst the people, so she decided to finally go to the Seireitei itself to see what could be done to bring about meaningful action from those who were supposed to be governing over all of the Soul Society."

Soi-Fon shook her head, and there was more than a hint of disdain in the gesture. "Fool's errand. Whether it's the Central Forty-Six or the rulers of the old kingdom, those who control the Seireitei and Rukon District have never really cared about what happens in the lands beyond. Golden age or dark age, some things never change."

Visaelya apparently felt otherwise. "It was still worth the effort. So few people even make an attempt. She had great personal power and a strong reputation backing her, not to mention steadfast allies. There was more going for her than most."

Kisuke nodded. "True enough. Even with the scandal regarding her marriage making her rather infamous amongst the nobility, she was still the eldest daughter of the Shihōin Clan. Her very name had power, and if nothing else it could certainly draw attention from the movers and shakers within the old kingdom. Looking at it objectively, she had at least a chance at being heard and making her case for greater involvement from the central government in the protection and wellbeing of the outlying regions."

"Perhaps," said Itachi, "but things didn't go the way she wanted them to, did they?"

"There was some initial progress," Yoruichi answered, "The royal family was interested in meeting her, so she was able to present her arguments to the top of the food chain. Promises were made to 'look into the matter' and 'explore possible solutions', but in the end they were empty words. On the one hand, the lack of action's understandable; governing the Seireitei, the Rukon District, and watching over the Realms of the Living and the balance of souls is a _very_ tough job. The manpower requirements alone are incredible. However, the old kingdom didn't lack for troops and resources back then. They could have formed expeditionary forces or militias, dispatched scouts to the areas she'd designated as trouble spots, organized economic relief for struggling villages, yet all she ultimately got from them were token gestures. Needless to say, she was less than pleased with them."

"How bad did it get?" asked Shisui.

"There wasn't any outright violence, if that's what you're getting at," Yoruichi replied, "That being said, her contempt, disgust and fury were hardly disguised. After about a year or so in the Seireitei, she washed her hands of the place. She publicly denounced the rulers of the kingdom as incompetent and self-interested, caring only for palace intrigue and personal advancement rather than the Soul Society as a whole. It caused quite the political firestorm, but she didn't care. She and her companions soon returned to their journeys across the Soul Society, doing the work that they now knew its rulers would not. Had that been the end of it, she still would be remembered as a hero, but her anger and disdain for the governing elite was not so easily suppressed. It festered and grew, and when combined with just how broad her knowledge had become, how great her power had grown… it was only a matter of time before she lashed out. She tried to fight it by throwing herself into her work, along with savoring her time with her beloved husband and their growing family, but in the end, it only delayed the inevitable."

She closed her eyes for a moment as she gathered her thoughts; she wanted to make sure that she properly conveyed the next part of the story. "Years passed… then decades… then centuries. Those descended from the royal family live significantly longer than other souls, even if it's through the bloodlines of the Five Great Noble Houses rather than the core family. Why do you think that the Head Captain has lasted so long? Even with all that time, though, it wasn't enough. No matter how many journeys the Lady of Midnight and her companions went on, each time they could only temporarily improve life in the regions they went through. More importantly for her was the advancing age of her friends; none of them were anywhere near as young as they once were. In those latter years, her mind became more and more consumed with research… particularly into the lore and knowledge that she had uncovered on that island long ago. In order to continue fighting for what she saw as the good of the Soul Society, she sought to permanently extend her own life and those of her dear companions."

Aika's eyes widened at that. "She was after _immortality?_ "

"She wasn't the first," said Kisuke, "There have always been those across the ages that have sought to escape the cycle of souls and live forever. The difference between her and them was her brilliant intellect… and just how far she was willing to go in pursuit of that dream."

Yoruichi nodded. "As she began to devote more time to that research, her ties with her family deteriorated. She became distant from her sisters, and even her husband and daughters began to find her difficult to approach. It must've been painful; all the stories indicate that she loved her bodyguard and the children they'd had with all her heart, and that love was no small factor in her increasingly frantic studies. She was desperate to stave off the inevitable… and in that desperation, the dark seeds that had been planted so long ago on that island began to bear fruit. That fruit required watering, though… more specifically, watering through blood."

She saw Visaelya grimace. "My family's archives aren't as extensive as yours on the matter, Captain, but from what I remember… she began using captured criminals from her journeys in experimentation, right?"

"Oh, yes," Yoruichi replied grimly, "Devising new spells to draw out their spirit energy, their very life force… vaults in her library soon became devoted to dark sorcery the likes of which the Soul Society had never seen before. She kept it hidden from all, but of course those closest to her became suspicious. However, by the time anyone voiced serious concerns, it was far too late. Her companions were in their final years… and all too soon, they began to fade. What all the criminals, Hollows and wild beasts could not accomplish, old age finally did. Each death hit her harder than the last. Her husband was the last to go… and that snapped what little remained of her restraint. Their children were all grown up, but they had still chosen to stay with their mother and father. She couldn't put them at risk, so she sent them to live at the family palace, safely removed from the fell arts that she was preparing to perform. Even then, drowning in the depths of despair, she did not stop loving them. If only that love had been enough to pull her back from the brink."

"Who did she turn first?" asked Itachi, a dark look in his eyes, "Which of her companions was the first to be awakened as a wraith?"

Yoruichi sighed. "The disgraced second son of the Drakken Clan cadet branch… the one we fought today. She used him as proof of concept, including pioneering the rings that amplified their power and helped anchor them in their twisted forms, and thus as a wraith he's the weakest of the five. The other four were brought back soon after, each one stronger in turn as she refined her process… with her husband as the last and by far the most powerful. All five would answer to her and her alone... and they would be called to serve _very_ quickly."

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess; the clan was finally onto her, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yes. She wasn't the only one who had grown powerful over the years. Both of her younger sisters had trained relentlessly, each becoming masters in their respective fields. They had been investigating her for quite some time, and had marshalled forces for an arrest. Unfortunately, they'd underestimated just what she was now capable of. When they stormed her library, she was ready for them. With all five wraiths under her command… it was a slaughter. Her sisters survived, but only because there was still just enough of her humanity left that she couldn't bear to have them killed. So, she fought her way out and fled into the night, her undead companions in tow… now truly Servants of Midnight."

Visaelya shuddered. "When word spread about what she had done… the entire nobility was in a state of panic. Reversing the flow of souls and creating undead beings of such staggering power were testament to just how far beyond them her power really was. Taking her down became priority number one for not just the Shihōin Clan, but the old kingdom itself. Every military resource in the Soul Society was mobilized for the ensuing hunt. What made matters even worse was when her sisters reported what had happened to those killed by the wraiths; the fact that they had become wights and had to be taken down again, this time by the two women who had commanded them, added yet another dark layer to the tragedy."

Aika shook her head mournfully. "How awful… did it really have to come to that?"

Soi-Fon gave her a hard look. "She crossed lines that no one in the Soul Society should ever cross. Her reasons behind it don't matter. There are _very_ good reasons why the arts she practiced are outlawed under penalty of death these days. The flow of souls is integral to the balance between the Soul Society and the Realms of the Living. Tampering with the flow is to risk apocalyptic destruction. Putting aside the fact that she threw her ethics completely out the window with her experiments, reversing the flow of souls, even for just a few people who were precious to her, is one of the worst taboos in all of the Soul Society. As Soul Reapers, it is our solemn duty to maintain that flow and ensure that it is not disrupted in any matter. She was the eldest daughter of a Great Noble House; she understood the responsibility that comes with wielding spirit energy as well as anyone else in a similar station."

Kisuke reluctantly nodded. "As much as I'm for pushing boundaries when it comes to Kidō, even I have my limits. She went too far; it's as simple as that. Her family should've stepped in much sooner, and she was smart enough to know that what she was doing could never be condoned. Since her research had already born its dark fruit, all that could be done now was damage control."

"By 'damage control', I presume you mean tracking down and killing the Lady of Midnight and her wraiths," said Itachi, "Although, given that we encountered one of those wraiths today, I can only assume that slaying them was beyond the capabilities of those charged with hunting them back then."

"That's right," Yoruichi answered, "The Soul Society had never seen anything like it before. If you thought today was bad, imagine how things were back then when they had to fight all five of them together under the command of the Lady of Midnight. Not only were they incredibly powerful in their own right, but simply throwing the old kingdom's armies at them wasn't an option; that approach was tried, and it simply resulted in hosts of soldiers being slain and raised as wights. Brute force wasn't an option, although that didn't stop them from trying. In all this carnage, her original mission was lost. She was no longer acting to help the people of the Soul Society; she was simply trying to escape accountability for her actions. The rebellious noblewoman who had improved the lives of so many common folks was gone and only a sorceress lost in the depths of despair remained."

There was a thoughtful look in Visaelya's eyes. "All the accounts I was exposed to in the past sought to emphasize her forbidden spells and how she had become a monster in the pursuit of eternal life, but hearing it like this… she sounds more like someone who was simply lashing out at the world in grief. Her fall didn't come about because she pursued forbidden knowledge; it was because she couldn't handle her sorrow at losing the people closest to her. It doesn't excuse what she did, but… well, it definitely gives the latter part of her story more depth than the versions I'd heard before."

"Well, the tutors you learned those versions from _were_ in service to your family," Kisuke pointed out, "Given the Drakken Clan's rivalry with the Shihōin Clan, it's only natural that they would seek to emphasize the more horrific and sinister aspects of the tale. After all, it's the fall of one of the Shihōin Clan's prodigies; no offense, but your ancestors probably took no small amount of satisfaction in watching that whole affair unfold."

Visaelya sighed. "I suppose you're right… my family _does_ tend to lend a disproportionate weight to our grudges."

Yoruichi smiled and shook her head. "I wouldn't worry too much about it in this case. Grudge or not, in this case the Drakken Clan had plenty of reason to be pissed off at my ancestors. The bit with the son of the cadet branch joining the Lady of Midnight as one of her companions could be brushed off easily enough, but in the many battles she had with the forces of the old kingdom after she went on the run, your clan lost some pretty prominent members. They weren't the only ones; warriors from all of the Great Noble Houses fell in that long hunt before it was finally concluded."

"How _did_ they defeat her?" asked Shisui, "Based on everything you've said so far, she'd be a daunting opponent even for Captains in the modern-day Thirteen Court Guard Squads. I felt your spiritual pressure spike today; you were throwing around quite a bit of power in that clash. Sure, it wasn't your Bankai, but it was nothing to sneeze at either. You told us that the wraith encountered today was the weakest one, so taking on all five along with their master and any wights they had in support would be no small task."

Yoruichi nodded. "They definitely had to work at it. Once the finally got it through their head that conventional armies were the wrong way to go, a great council was held in the Seireitei. Rather than the royal family calling the shots, though, it was largely dominated by the Five Great Noble Houses; the High King of the time served more as a debate moderator and intermediary rather than a direct commander. It was clear that pure quantity wouldn't cut it, but at the same time they couldn't match the enemy one for one. After all, this was the most powerful spell caster in generations that they were dealing with here, and her undead servants had centuries of collective combat experience under their belts. An elite task force was eventually put together, consisting of the finest warriors, Mages and assassins the Five Great Noble Houses could offer. They're known to history collectively as the Great Hunters, and boy, did they have their work cut out for them."

"Tracking her wasn't the hard part," Soi-Fon added, "The old kingdom was actually quite efficient at pursuing its enemies when it was properly focused. The problem, naturally, was how to go about defeating her. The Great Hunters did outnumber their foes, but it was only by a ratio of less than three to one. Since at the time no one knew how to actually destroy the wraiths, the best they could hope for was to seal them. They had Mages that were sufficiently skilled and powerful enough for such a task, but they would have to protect them and buy them time to properly perform the sealing spell. The Lady of Midnight and her Servants were constantly on the move, and since she was the one being hunted it meant that she could dictate where their confrontations took place."

"And they had several confrontations," Kisuke chimed in, "In the first few, the Hunters were lucky to escape with their lives, and even then, some of them were severely wounded. Some of their Mages were powerful healers, but treating the wounded naturally took time, and of course it gave their target a chance to put distance between them and her. Each subsequent encounter was deadly, but even as they fought for their lives they learned about their opponent. Eventually, they had enough collective knowledge and experience to formulate a plan to finally bring the whole affair to a close, but putting it into effect was definitely a case of easier said than done."

"How'd they pull it off?" asked Shisui.

"Both of her sisters were members of the task force," said Yoruichi, "They knew her better than anyone else in the group. It hadn't escaped their notice that she'd gone out of her way to spare them each time they had fought. They could see that she clearly still cared for her family… and they used that against her."

A dark look came to Itachi's eyes. "Her children."

Aika's eyes widened. "No… they wouldn't…"

"Her offspring were fully grown," Visaelya reminded her, "They were all adults now, fully capable of understanding what their mother had done… and capable of making an informed decision regarding what to do about it, difficult though it surely was."

"How many did she have?" asked Itachi.

"Three," Yoruichi answered somberly, "The eldest two were girls, and the youngest was a boy. Although she never wanted them to be exposed to danger, she had made sure that they were trained to defend themselves, and they had become capable fighters in their own right. The eldest daughter had picked up her father's affinity for the sword, while her younger sister had become a promising Mage in her own right. As for the son, while he had decent skills in both melee combat and spell casting, he was actually more of a scholar than a frontline combatant. Regardless of ability, though, all three had heard the firsthand accounts from their aunts regarding the raid on the library. For all that they loved their mother, they could see what she had become… and consented to being used as bait for her."

Shisui shook his head. "Even if they were willing, even if their involvement was necessary… that's still a cruel burden to place on them."

Itachi nodded solemnly. "The worst enemy to confront is never a monster or a tyrant; it's someone that's close to you. Close family and friends… they are by far the most difficult to face."

The others gave the two of them looks that suggested they had caught a hint of something deeper but couldn't figure out what it was. Yoruichi knew, though. Both young men weren't talking about Yoruichi's ancestor; they were talking about the Uchiha Clan.

 _The pain of having to fight one's family is something I pray that I never have to experience_ , she thought as her gaze lingers on her Sixteenth Seat, _Itachi… how you endured it these past fourteen years… I just hope that, between our talk and you finding your mother, you can start to heal._

She forced herself to return her focus to the task at hand; the tale wasn't over just yet. "Word eventually reached her ears that her children had been arrested by the Hunters. I'm sure she suspected a trap, all the more so when she learned where they were being held. It was at an ancient amphitheater in one of the ancient cities of the Shihōin Clan Principality; a town that had been abandoned to the encroaching desert sands long ago. The location was chosen well. There would be no civilians to get in the way, and as a bonus she would have no one on hand for her wraiths to slay and resurrect as wights. A small oasis wasn't too far away, so the Hunters would have a ready supply of drinking water while they waited for their prey. Finally, the amphitheater itself was the perfect kind of structure to facilitate a powerful sealing spell."

"Ancient barriers and seals often incorporated architecture as a means of reinforcing them," Kisuke explained, "The barrier that used to hold the wraith beneath the citadel was deeply intertwined with the Moon Tower itself, for example. It's an art that's mostly been lost since the old kingdom fell. The seals and barriers practiced by Soul Reapers and the Kidō Corps today are mostly meant to be used out in the field on short notice; there's just not as much work put into large-scale stationary barriers as there once was. It's a shame, really."

Soi-Fon gave him a look of stern disapproval. "We have more important things to worry about here than lost barrier techniques, Third Seat Urahara. Keep your priorities in order."

Kisuke chuckled. "Oh, all right. Someone's on a short fuse tonight."

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "You would be too if you had to contend with a wraith instead of mere wights."

"Dial it back, you two," Yoruichi chided her subordinates, "Let's keep things on track here."

Soi-Fon bowed her head. "My apologies, Lady Yoruichi."

Kisuke gave her a contrite nod. "Same."

"So, did it work?" asked Aika, "The trap, I mean."

Yoruichi took a deep breath before answering. "She went to the amphitheater, her five Servants in tow. There were her children, standing in the middle of the stage… and they were armed. The Great Hunters had already taken up position, but their victory was not yet assured. A seal of the magnitude that they had set up cannot be activated instantaneously. There's a charging time as the casters bring it up to full strength, and the casters must be protected during the process; if any one of them lose concentration, then the sequence has to be restarted. The Lady of Midnight instantly recognized the true nature of the trap. After all, a Mage as powerful and skilled as her was intimately familiar with all manner of barriers and sealing techniques. Her expertise should've been a threat, but when she saw that her daughters and son now saw her as a threat… she lost the will to fight. It could've ended right there… but her Servants were another matter."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? She had control over them, right? She was the one that had brought them back, after all. Besides, they were all loyal to her. If she wasn't going to put up a fight, then they should've followed her lead."

Yoruichi saw Itachi close his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them his gaze met hers. "The one we fought… it wasn't some obedient and mindless creation. Its very existence was agony, and it wanted nothing more than for us to join it in that eternal torment. Whatever loyalty they once had to their master… it was swallowed by hatred and pain, wasn't it?"

Yoruichi nodded. "They had followed her up until this point, but the tortured nature of their new existence meant that their loyalty could no longer be taken for granted. By the time she recognized that, though, it was far too late. In that amphitheater, the last vestiges of deference those Servants of Midnight had for their master finally faded. They were truly unleashed, now… and they wanted the cruelest revenge possible."

"Her children…" Visaelya murmured.

Aika's eyes widened in horror. "No…"

Yoruichi sighed. "Her children were well-trained, but even then… her son fell before he knew what hit him. Her eldest daughter managed to grab her sister and retreat, but two of the wraiths immediately pursued. The Great Hunters had no choice but to leap into action at that point; they couldn't risk any of the wraiths slipping free of the amphitheater. From there… well, the records you'll find in the other Great Noble Houses tend to differ, but those in the archives of the Shihōin Clan include a detail that the others typically ignore. You see, history accredits the subsequent sealing of the wraiths solely to the Great Hunters, but the truth is… they had help from the last source they could've imagined."

"The Lady of Midnight," said Itachi.

"You got it," Yoruichi replied, "I said earlier that she had lost the will to fight when she saw that her children were prepared to stand against her, but that changed when she saw that it was her children that were now in danger. Naturally, the Great Hunters were suspicious, but she focused her efforts solely on the wraiths. The ensuing clash was brutal, and there were plenty of casualties. One of the Lady of Midnight's sisters, the warrior, was among them. In the end, though, the wraiths were finally sealed. As for the Lady of Midnight, she accepted the sentence that had already been passed on her. Her story came to an end in that amphitheater, but the wraiths remained. They might've been sealed, but they were still a threat, and a long-term solution had to be found."

"The sealing spell employed by the Great Hunters sufficed long enough for them to come up with a plan," Kisuke chimed in, "They called in additional resources from the Seireitei, including plenty of additional warriors and Mages. Five sites across the Soul Society were chosen to hold the sealed wraiths; it was deemed far too dangerous to keep them all together in a single location. Menar Issilaya was one of the sites designated for interment. The Moon Tower lent itself well as anchor for this particular wraith's seal. From the account that I found in the citadel archives, the seal held until a particularly fierce Hollow attack hit the Moon Tower itself and disrupted the spell. That's how the wraith was eventually able to break its bonds and slay the inhabitants of Menar Issilaya."

Shisui leaned forward. "Why couldn't the Great Hunters destroy them, though? The Lady of Midnight joined them in that final fight; she made them, so surely she knew how to unmake them."

Visaelya shook her head. "With all due respect, Tenth Seat Uchiha, you're forgetting why these five were resurrected in the first place. These were individuals that the Lady of Midnight cared for so deeply that she was willing to violate practically every law of spell casting and delve into dark sorcery just so she could be with them again. Destroying them would've been the last thing on her mind. Besides, this was an incredibly fierce clash; there was no time for her to give the Great Hunters a detailed explanation regarding her creations and how to dispose of them."

"But what about once the fight was over?" asked Aika, "Wouldn't they have asked her how to destroy them before carrying out her sentence?"

"I'm sure they did just that," Yoruichi answered, "The records don't say what she told them, so we can only speculate at this point."

Soi-Fon shook her head. "Such speculation is meaningless at this point. What matters is that one has been found, and while we did eliminate it, we've confirmed that it was able to break free of its seal. I understand that the barrier was compromised by an outside force, but that does not change the fact that it broke loose all the same. If the weakest of the five escaped containment in the millennia since it was defeated and imprisoned, then there is no reason why the others could not break out as well."

Shisui's brow furrowed. "Something's bothering me. This thing was imprisoned beneath the Moon Tower for a long time. Wouldn't the people guarding it have taken the opportunity to study it in hopes of finding a way to destroy it?"

"I believe they did, actually," Kisuke countered, "The account that I found in the citadel's archives indicates that they figured out which three points needed to be targeted in order to defeat it; the crown, the amulet, and the ring. However, in order to strike those points, they would've needed to open the barrier and seal, and they probably weren't keen on doing that. They likely deemed it safer to simply maintain its prison, and I can't say that I blame them. When this thing got the chance to break free, it seized it immediately and wrought absolute carnage. Had they lowered the barrier before and attempted to destroy it, it's quite likely that it simply would've broken free then and commenced the massacre. They would've needed warriors of with at least Captain-class levels of spirit energy to have a chance at defeating it, as Yoruichi demonstrated today. Even in the old kingdom, fighters with that kind of strength didn't exactly grow on trees. Most of them would've been either in the heart of the Seireitei or monitoring the Realms of the Living."

Visaelya sighed. "That's a shame, but also understandable. That does leave us with a few unanswered questions, though."

Itachi nodded. "The wights, for starters. When it broke free, that wraith clearly butchered the people of Menar Issilaya. We fought our share of wights, but that couldn't have been enough to account for the entire population of the city."

"Itachi's right," said Aika, "Where are the rest?"

"Hard to say," Yoruichi conceded, "I know that when we engaged the wraith, some of the crystals that used to anchor its seal were used to power a portal that wights came through. Did you guys find anything similar in your encounters?"

Shisui nodded. "Yeah, up in the observation room. There was a crystal powering the portal that the wights came through in that room, too."

Yoruichi turned to Kisuke. "What about you?"

Kisuke shook his head. "Found plenty of wights, but no crystals. There was a portal in the entrance hall where wights were emerging from, but it collapsed when the wraith was slain."

"That might be our answer, then," said Soi-Fon, "The portals must've been tied to the wraith. Perhaps it stored the wights in some sort of alternate space through dark sorcery, and only summoned them when it was directly threatened. With its destruction, the rest of the wights might've been destroyed as well."

"We need to know for sure," Itachi argued, "They can't be allowed to leave the Shadow Pass."

Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. We're going to spend at least a week sweeping the city and the Moon Tower for any mechanisms that might trigger additional portals. I'm not about to let such a threat slip out from under our noses. We will not leave here until we are certain the threat has been completely eliminated."

Shisui cleared his throat, and Yoruichi was surprised to see that he was uncharacteristically nervous. "Captain… loose wights may not be our only potential problem."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "What is it?"

"In the observation room at the top of the citadel," Shisui began as his right hand went into the satchel at his hip, "we found something… and we need to figure out to do with it sooner rather than later."

Yoruichi had sensed a strange undercurrent of spirit energy coming from the satchel earlier, but Shisui hadn't immediately brought it up so she had assumed it wasn't a threat. Her eyes widened when he pulled his hand out of the bag and she saw what he was holding. That initial assumption had been correct in the short-term, but now that she knew what he was carrying she understood that the long-term was another question entirely.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me…" she murmured as she gazed at the pyramidal crystal in the palm of his hand.

She wasn't the only one suitably surprised; Soi-Fon's jaw damn near hit the ground, and Kisuke was all but drooling in excitement as he realized what he was seeing. Yoruichi could hardly blame them.

"Impossible," said Soi-Fon, "They were all lost…"

"Lost, but apparently not destroyed," Kisuke countered, his eyes gleaming with curiosity, "A Nalatarin… I never thought I'd see one outside of sketches in ancient tomes. Well, now… today really has been full of surprises."

Yoruichi saw Itachi's gaze go back and forth between the crystal and her. "A Nalatarin? Would someone care to enlighten me?"

"A relic of the old kingdom," Yoruichi answered even as she struggled to process the full implications of what Shisui had just found, "A crystal endowed with the power to see across incredibly vast distances. There were several at the height of the old kingdom's power, but their number began to dwindle as they were claimed by disaster and tragedy one by one… and those that remained were lost in the downfall. When contact with Menar Issilaya broke off, it was assumed that its Nalatarin had disappeared along with the inhabitants. I'd hoped there would be clues regarding its whereabouts when we began investigating this place, but I never dreamed that we'd actually _find_ it."

Visaelya shook her head. "Honestly, I'm _still_ having trouble wrapping my head around it, and I was _there_ when we found it."

Aika nodded. "Same here. I don't know what I was expecting that we would find when we started this mission, but it definitely wasn't something like _this_."

"It might've been better if you hadn't," said Soi-Fon as she turned to Yoruichi, a knowing look in her eyes, "This is going to cause problems."

Yoruichi was glad to see that her protégé was already thinking along the same lines as her. "You've got that right."

Itachi looked puzzled. "Why would this be an issue? Our mission to the barrow of the old kingdom during our student days gave me the impression that the Soul Society was on the lookout for artifacts from that era. We were helping Squad Twelve collect them for study, as I recall. Wouldn't the same apply here?"

"In theory, yes," Yoruichi answered, "but there are artifacts, and there are _artifacts_. This one is _definitely_ the latter."

"No kidding," said Kisuke as he scratched his chin in thought, "This is _definitely_ going to be a problem."

Visaelya nodded, and Yoruichi could tell that she too had grasped the potential ramifications. "A find like this is unprecedented. For a Nalatarin to resurface after so long… this is going to cause an uproar in the nobility. The Five Great Noble Houses will be at each other's throats trying to get their hands on this thing."

Yoruichi saw a subtle shift in Itachi's gaze as the light of comprehension dawned. "If any one House had something like this in their possession, it would alter the balance of power amongst the aristocracy…"

"Exactly," Soi-Fon confirmed, "which is why we need to be _very_ careful about how we handle this."

"Yes," said Yoruichi softly before she gave her gathered subordinates a stern look, "We need to keep this as compartmentalized as possible. Shisui, how many people know that you found this?"

"Only those that are in this tent right now," her Tenth Seat answered.

Yoruichi sighed with relief. "Good. In that case, here's how we'll play this. Shisui, I want you to give the Nalatarin to Kisuke for the time being. He'll keep it safe until we return to the Seireitei."

Shisui nodded and passed the artifact to the Third Seat without complaint, although Yoruichi did note his gaze lingering on the crystal as Kisuke stuffed it into a satchel. She couldn't blame him; she could only imagine what it must've been like to first lay eyes on it up in the observation room of the Moon Tower. Still, she was pleased to see that he was willing to relinquish it so easily, especially given that there were plenty of nobles and high-ranking Soul Reapers she could think of who most certainly _would_ have protested.

She met the gaze of her Third Seat. "You've done enough browsing in my family's archives to know the risks, but I'm going to say it anyway; do _not_ try to use that thing. Feel free to study it, but make sure you don't have an audience, and don't activate it. You got that?"

Kisuke nodded, clearly understanding the danger and willing to set aside his curiosity for the sake of the mission. "Understood."

She returned her attention to the rest of her subordinates, knowing that she had to bring the hammer down _hard_ to get her point across. "Listen carefully. Word of this discovery does _not_ leave this tent. I like you all, but so help me, if I find out that _any_ of you have leaked information to someone outside this circle, the Maggots' Nest will be the _least_ of your worries. Do I make myself clear?"

They all nodded in unison, and Yoruichi allowed herself to relax a bit; she didn't like driving up the tension like that, but sometimes it was unfortunately necessary. She genuinely did trust them, but she had to make sure there was no ambiguity regarding the gravity of the situation.

"Good," she said, "Now, here's how this will work. We'll keep this under wraps until we return to the Seireitei. Once we're back, I'll take possession of the artifact and bring it straight to the Head Captain when I deliver my mission report. I'll request Captain Hikifune's presence at the meeting as well; standard procedure is for Squad Twelve to take possession of major artifacts for study and safekeeping. A direct handoff between me and her will minimize the risk of exposure."

"Simple and effective," Kisuke commented, "but we might still have a hitch or two. The artifact's latent spirit energy will draw attention from Soul Reapers with sufficiently attuned senses. Our greatest risk comes from the other Captains and their Lieutenants; there's a distinct possibility that they could pick up on it while you're going to meet the Head Captain."

"And one in particular will _definitely_ be an issue if he realizes what we've found here," Soi-Fon added, looking back and forth between Yoruichi and Visaelya.

Visaelya nodded grimly, fully aware of the subtext. "Yes, my uncle will almost certainly pounce if he detects the artifact. The fact that we found it so close to the Drakken Clan Principality will make things even worse. I give you my word that I will do everything in my power to ensure word of the Nalatarin doesn't leak to them, but once we're inside the Seireitei simple discretion and closed lips on our part may not be enough."

Yoruichi sighed. "I trust you, Visaelya. The real problem is actually going to be the Head Captain. He'll follow procedure to the letter… and that will include delivering a report to the Central Forty-Six regarding our survey of Menar Issilaya. He won't leave anything out, which means the judges _will_ learn of the artifact. They're supposed to be impartial, and their deliberations are meant to remain confidential, but it's an open secret that each of the Five Great Noble Houses has informants amongst their ranks. Once the Head Captain reports to them, the nobility will learn the truth in short order, and that will most certainly include your uncle."

"And _that's_ where the political shitstorm will start," Kisuke quipped.

"Is there _any_ way to avoid that?" asked Shisui, "No matter what we do on our end, from what you've described it sounds like we'll just be delaying the inevitable."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Can we expect retaliation from the nobility?"

"Officially, no," Yoruichi answered, "The Head Captain _hates_ it when the aristocracy attempts to interfere in the affairs of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, so on the surface the nobles will make a show of giving him a wide berth. Unofficially, though… well, watch your backs. Squad Two might be the best at operating in the shadows, but the Great Noble Houses have their own agents who could potentially seek to exact payback. They won't dare to launch any open attacks, but it'll be a good idea for the lot of you to keep your heads down and your guard up for the foreseeable future. I'll make sure that my family isn't among the troublemakers; while I'm sure they'd very much prefer if I turn the Nalatarin over to them, there's a damn good reason why _I'm_ the Captain of Squad Two and the rest of them aren't. They might fuss a bit, but I'll keep them off our backs."

"Couldn't we just… not report what we found at all?" asked Aika nervously, "Maybe just hand the artifact over directly to Squad Twelve _before_ the meeting with the Head Captain? Surely Captain Hikifune would understand, right?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "She'd be sympathetic, but we'd be putting her in an untenable position. She can't afford to watch over the artifact by herself; she's a Captain with a division to run, after all. The most secure place for the Nalatarin is in the high security artifact vaults of Squad Twelve's barracks, and the guards need to be aware of what they're protecting so they can appropriately anticipate threats. Word of the most recent addition to their collection would almost certainly begin trickling down through the ranks of her subordinates, regardless of her best efforts. From there, it would just be a matter of time before the Head Captain found out, and then she'd be in a _considerable_ amount of trouble. The proper channels might give us an inevitable headache, but at least if we're up front with both her and the Head Captain we can contain the blowback."

Aika nodded, and Yoruichi then saw her look at Shisui. "I understand. That being said… I think there are some things we _should_ be keeping secret from them… even if _you_ need to know, Captain. Tenth Seat Uchiha… I'm sorry, but…"

Shisui smiled. "It's all right, Aika; the Captain already knows my little secret. In fact, between the seven of us here, I think the only person who _doesn't_ know now is Third Seat Urahara, at least if what I felt from the fight down in the catacombs is any indication."

Kisuke raised his eyebrow, looking more amused and curious than anything else. "Wait, for once _I'm_ the one that's out of the loop on something? This is a new experience. I suppose now's when you fill me in on the good stuff?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "I guess it couldn't hurt at this point, although it'd be easier to show rather than tell. Itachi, Shisui, do you mind? I promise that word won't spread beyond this tent; Kisuke might have his quirks, but you can trust him."

Itachi and Shisui shared a brief look before turning back to face the others. Yoruichi was surprised to feel her heartbeat speed up ever so slightly; the thrill of anticipation was coursing through her veins.

Sure enough, there it was a moment later; two pairs of crimson beacons blazing in the eyes of her Sixteenth and Tenth Seats. Glancing at Kisuke, she had the satisfaction of seeing him actually look dumbfounded for once, which was a rare sight indeed. Of course, she could hardly blame him; the Sharingan really was unlike anything that she or her Third Seat had ever seen before.

An odd thought passed through her mind; she'd been utterly entranced by Itachi's Sharingan when he had awakened it, yet she hadn't had the same reaction when Shisui had activated his before the two Uchiha had gone to scout out Menar Issilaya. Why was that so? It took her a moment to figure out the answer.

 _It was the gravity of his gaze_ , she thought as she looked at the two young men, _Shisui and Itachi were both trying to stop the Uchiha coup, but Shisui took his own life before the purge to give Itachi the power of the Mangekyou. Shisui didn't actually have to take the lives of his kin… but Itachi did. The Sharingan Itachi has now is the very same Sharingan that he used when carrying out the massacre of the clan…_

It was a haunting realization, and it lent a sense of tragic beauty to the crimson gems that were Itachi's eyes that made his gaze all the more captivating for Yoruichi. Since she was in front of her subordinates, she knew that now was hardly the time to get lost in the solemn grace and splendor that was his Sharingan, but the temptation was still very much there.

It took a moment for Kisuke to recover his composure, and it was clear that his urge to study and research was going full-bore. "Well, now… _that's_ interesting. How long have you known about this, Yoruichi?"

"A while, now," she admitted, "Sorry for keeping you in the dark, but I told Itachi that I'd keep it a secret for him and Shisui. The events of tonight forced both of their hands, though."

Kisuke nodded. "A wraith and wights will definitely do that. Don't worry, I'll keep this between us. That being said, I'd definitely like to get the rundown on what makes those eyes so special."

"I'll admit, I feel the same way," said Soi-Fon just before trying and failing to stifle a yawn, "but it's been a long day… forgive me, Lady Yoruichi, but…"

Yoruichi smiled; given just how fierce the fight with the wraith and wights had been, she was honestly impressed that her bodyguard had lasted this long without showing signs of fatigue. "It's all right, Soi-Fon. At this point, I think I've kept you all up late enough as it is. It's been a _very_ busy day, and we've covered more than enough in this meeting. I'll debrief the other officers that were with us inside the Moon Tower, but I want the rest of you to grab a quick bite and then get some sleep. Anything we didn't cover tonight we can touch base on tomorrow morning before we head back to the city for further exploration."

Kisuke stood up and stretched. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Same here," said Visaelya as she and the others joined him, "I could definitely use some shuteye."

Aika's stomach growled, and she gave an embarrassed smile. "Yes… food and sleep would be nice."

Shisui grinned as he and Itachi deactivated their Sharingans. "Got that right! I'm starving. How about you, Itachi?"

The Sixteenth Seat nodded. "A meal is certainly in order."

"Actually, would you two mind staying just for a moment?" asked Yoruichi, "I promise it won't be for long."

The two young men exchanged glances before nodding. Her other subordinates looked mildly curious, but ultimately their desire for a meal and rest outweighed any desire for inquiry. It only took a moment for the tent to clear out, leaving just the three of them.

Yoruichi gave them both a warm smile. "You two really earned your keep today. I don't think things would've gone nearly as well if you weren't with us. Thank you for all you did today."

"Aw, shucks, Captain!" Shisui laughed, "You're going to make us blush if you keep this up."

"We simply did our duty," said Itachi, although Yoruichi detected the barest hint of a smile, "I'm just glad we were able to come out of there with no casualties."

"Were it not for the special eyes you two have, that might not have been the case," Yoruichi replied, "That's actually what I wanted to talk about; your eyes, I mean. I know how powerful and useful the Sharingan can be for our missions, just as I know how circumspect you've been about it thus far. The others won't say anything unless you tell them otherwise, and I trust the two of you to make informed decisions about who, if anyone else, you choose to let in on the secret. That being said, please, be cautious. If the other divisions find out about the Sharingan, it could make things… complicated."

"I figured as much," said Shisui, "We've a valuable ace in the hole for Squad Two, after all."

Yoruichi nodded. "You are, but there's more to it than that. The Central Forty-Six is honestly my real concern here. That body is overwhelming composed of arch-conservatives, and they don't like it when people like you are discovered. The Shinobi World is poorly understood by the Soul Society; so very few Soul Reapers have taken the time to study it that our negligence and ignorance on the matter is frankly pathetic. The Sharingan is an aspect of your world that the old geezers would likely react _very_ poorly to. It's a power that they don't understand… and what they don't understand, they fear."

Yoruichi could tell that Itachi instantly grasped what she was getting at. "We don't fit into the way they've categorized the people of the Soul Society. In their eyes, the Sharingan would be akin to the sorcery practiced by the Mages of the old kingdom, particularly the Lady of Midnight. It's outside of conventional Kidō spells and grants us abilities that rival or surpass any Zanpakutō given sufficient development. They wouldn't see us an asset like you do; we'd be immediately labeled a threat."

"A threat to be eliminated with extreme prejudice," Shisui added grimly, "That'd fit the judges' historical tendencies perfectly."

Yoruichi sighed. "Exactly. Shisui, I know you've already been cautious in your use of the Sharingan, and while now more members of Squad Two know about it you still need to be damn careful about when and where you employ it. I'm sure you didn't need me to tell you that, but it's a point that I can't stress enough just the same. Itachi, you're in the same boat now."

"Understood," her Sixteenth Seat replied.

She then smiled. "That being said, I don't want you two to stop using those incredible eyes of yours altogether. In fact, I want to give you both a chance to keep training your visual prowess along with your more conventional Soul Reaper abilities. Itachi, did you ever let Shisui in on that place I took you to for our conversation about your past?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. I know you said I could, but I still wanted to respect your privacy… especially after you'd given me your confidence."

"I understand," Yoruichi replied, "However, when we return to the Seireitei, I want you to let Shisui in on the secret. Same with Visaelya; she's close to you two, and she'll notice if you both disappear for training sessions outside of the Squad Two barracks. You might as well let her in on things. She's already aware of the Sharingan, after all. If we can trust her with a secret like that, I think we can trust her with my little secret training area."

Itachi gave a small smile. "I agree."

Shisui smirked at Itachi. "You've been keeping secrets from me? The _nerve_ , Itachi!"

Itachi looked down. "Sorry."

Her Tenth Seat gave his old friend a pat on the back. "Hey, come on, Itachi! You used to be able to tell when I was just giving you a hard time. It's all good."

Itachi sighed before turning back to Yoruichi. "Is there anything else you need from us at the moment?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "No, that about covers it. Grab a bite and get some rest; Captain's orders."

She smiled again as she watched the two young men leave the tent. Yoruichi had always known that she'd been lucky to get them into her division, but today's mission had proven beyond a shadow of a doubt just how invaluable they really were for Squad Two. Were it not for their prior experience and the power that came from their bloodline, things could've taken a very grim turn.

 _You two did more than just put in a good showing today_ , she thought, _Squad Two's got one hell of a secret weapon now that both of you have the Sharingan. Once we get back to the Seireitei, I'm going to have to look into reshuffling the ranks a bit; there are definitely a few promotions that need to be arranged after today._

Accolades and advancement would have to wait, though. While Yoruichi had ordered the subordinates that had been in the tent with her earlier to call it a night, she still had other officers to meet with before she could turn in herself. She allowed herself a few moments to stretch and get a yawn out of her system before heading off to collect the next batch; she had plenty of work left to do tonight.

….

 **One week later…**

Standing just outside the mouth of the Shadow Pass, Itachi supposed that it would soon be known by its old name once word got out. The dark clouds that had blanketed the region when Squad Two had first arrived were completely gone now, replaced by scattered grey and white clouds along with a thin layer of mist that wasn't uncommon at all for terrain like this. If he hadn't seen the land's corruption just a week ago himself, he would've been hard-pressed to believe anyone who had told him of the taint, let alone what had caused it.

 _Even the river seems to be regaining its vitality_ , he mused, _I imagine it will be safe to drink again within a few weeks' time. To think that slaying the wraith would have an affect like this._

Compared to that fateful first day in Menar Issilaya when Squad Two had done battle with the undead, the rest of the time they'd spent studying the old city and the surrounding region was quite uneventful. Surveys had been conducted, maps updated, inventory taken; it wasn't all that different from what a Shinobi might experience with a large-scale field reconnaissance mission. Squad Two had remained on guard just in case any wights remained or Hollows began to take an interest in their presence, but there had been no signs of either such enemy in the area.

Itachi took a deep breath, savoring the early morning air. This was the last time he would see this part of the Soul Society for who-knew how long; Squad Two's mission was wrapped up, and all that remained now was to return to the Seireitei. He was concerned as to the potential political fallout once word got out as to what they had discovered in Menar Issilaya, but it was going to be about a two-month trek before they'd have to deal with that. There would be plenty of time later to fret and plan; for now, Itachi simply wanted to enjoy the scenery.

"Hell of a view, eh?" came a familiar female voice from behind him, "Take away all those gloomy clouds, and this place really shines."

He looked over his shoulder and saw Yoruichi approaching him, a warm smile on her face. It was rather infectious; he couldn't help but give her a small one in return.

"It's lovely," Itachi freely admitted, "and there's a certain satisfaction in knowing the part we played in bringing it about."

Yoruichi was practically beaming with pride now. "That's the spirit! You're really starting to get into this now. Enjoy that sense of accomplishment; that's one of the rewards we get from challenging missions like this one. It can be downright addictive sometimes."

Itachi nodded. "I can imagine so. It's going to feel strange going back to Seireitei and Rukon District patrols after something like this."

Yoruichi smirked. "Well, the ones you'll get going forward will really just be to pass the time while I find you work that's more suited to your abilities. Don't get me wrong; I still want to make sure you and Shisui have chances to explore the Rukon District and look for other members of your clan, but both of your talents and abilities are wasted on those jobs. It'll take a bit of time and reorganizing once we're back to put things into motion, but I've got plans for the two of you."

Itachi raised his eyebrow. "Is that so? Anything you can divulge here and now?"

Yoruichi giggled. "Now, now, that would be telling! I'm not about to ruin things for you like that! I want to have you squirm in anticipation for a while."

Itachi chuckled. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed there; I don't squirm."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "Is that a challenge?"

Itachi shrugged. "Only if you wish it to be one."

A mischievous glint came to her eyes. "And what if I _do?_ "

Itachi allowed himself a small smirk in response. "You might need to enlist the help of my mother in that regard, then. I'm sure she would enjoy it."

Yoruichi laughed. "I bet she would! Speaking of which, feel free to take a bit of time to visit her at the Academy once we're back. My report to the Head Captain and the matter of the special item we found out here will keep me busy for a bit, but there's no reason why you can't enjoy yourself. I know Mikoto would be happy to see you and know that you came through your big mission without any injuries."

"Are you sure?" asked Itachi, "It sounds like you're going to have a full plate when we get back; I'm more than willing to help if there's anything I can do."

Yoruichi shook her head. "I appreciate that, and I'll keep it mind, but for now I want you to sit this one out. Soul Society politics might ring a few superficial bells to you given your experience in your particular Realm of the Living, but there are quite a few differences too. When the Head Captain delivers his report to the Central Forty-Six, all of the Five Great Houses are going to try to throw their weight around. It's not going to be pretty."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. That being said, it doesn't sound like any of them really have a chance at getting their way. The Head Captain strikes me as the type that goes by the book, and I can't see him bending to petulant nobles. If procedure dictates that the artifact goes to Squad Twelve for study and safekeeping, then I can't imagine any of the Great Noble Houses getting him to budge on that front."

"That's a good read on the Head Captain," Yoruichi complimented, "I'm with you on that front. He'll stand firm, and the judges on the council won't want to rock the boat either. Things will get dicey for a little while, but eventually they'll blow over and we'll be back to business as usual. I'd just rather you keep your head down to be on the safe side. I don't want you or Shisui getting dragged into this, especially given how the Central Forty-Six might react should they learn of your _unique_ abilities. As long as you two lay low, we should be able to avoid any serious repercussions."

"Very well, then," said Itachi as he turned his gaze back towards the Shadow Pass again, "What do you suppose will become of this place? Do you really think the Central Forty-Six will approve reconstruction of the city?"

"They've got no real reason not to at this point," Yoruichi argued, "The threat's been decisively dealt with, and it offers a chance to reopen a vital trade corridor. The judges might hate anything connected with the old kingdom, but they'd have to be complete idiots to not recognize the strategic and economic opportunities here. They might grumble a bit, but they'll sign off on the work eventually. I imagine the Drakken Clan will be the ones they ask to garrison it; this place isn't exactly far from their Principality, after all."

"Does that bother you?" asked Itachi, "It'd essentially be your family's rival reaping the rewards of your hard work."

Yoruichi shrugged. "I don't mind. The old feuds never really bothered me as much as they do people like Rhaegon. Besides, letting them take charge of the reconstruction and defense might help calm some of the feathers that'll be ruffled once they learn about what we found in the Moon Tower. If it helps keep the peace, then I'm fine with them piggybacking off of our accomplishments out here. Squad Two is who purged the corruption from this place; no one can take that away from us."

Itachi gave her a small and knowing smirk. "And you won't miss the chance to brag that your division killed a wraith in the land that even the Drakken Clan's famous beasts won't go near, right? The old feuds may hold little sway over you, but taking a shot like that would be a good way to get under the Squad Ten Captain's skin."

Yoruichi grinned. "You think you know me, do you? Well… you just might be right!"

Itachi chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"As well you should," Yoruichi replied before her expression darkened, "although…"

Itachi raised an eyebrow; hesitation was unusual for her. "What is it?"

Yoruichi sighed. "What you really deserve to be complimented for is your performance in the mission. That being said, in order to keep your secret from the Central Forty-Six… I won't be able to give you all the praise you're due in the official report. Think about it; a Sixteenth Seat fighting alongside a Captain and her elite bodyguard against a powerful undead abomination born from dark sorcery? The judges and the Head Captain alike would have some serious questions about how you were able to make such a vital contribution given your relative inexperience. You might've been in the advanced track, and I might know of your past life, but as far as the old man and the Central Forty-Six are concerned you're still a rookie Soul Reaper. Without you, our fight against the wraith could've gone _so_ wrong, but to keep you from drawing the kind of attention you _really_ don't want… your contributions will have to be downplayed. I'm sorry, Itachi... I wish there was another way."

Itachi shook his head; he'd been prepared for this. "You have nothing to apologize for. In order to keep my secret, I've always known that certain sacrifices would have to be made. Don't forget what I once was; fading into the shadows is something I'm quite accustomed to. I didn't unlock my Shikai and Sharingan for glory and praise. I awakened them so I could help you in a fight against a powerful foe... so I could use the strength of my bloodline to protect you."

He saw her eyes widen slightly in response; that clearly wasn't the answer she'd been expecting. "Itachi…"

Itachi gave her a very small smile. "I know you don't need my protection or that of anyone else; your Shikai alone is extraordinary, and I can only imagine how powerful your Bankai is. Still, that is very much how I felt when I awakened that power. The Uchiha Clan has long associated unlocking the Sharingan with strong negative emotions such as fear, anger and hatred. Those were not the emotions that fueled me beneath the Moon Tower, though. After all you've done for me since I came to the Soul Society, I couldn't stand the thought of lacking the strength to help you against such a formidable opponent. I wanted the strength to stand by your side and face that evil together… and to prove that the power of the Uchiha Clan was meant for more than simply pursuing the petty ambitions and grudges that defined us in the Realm of the Living."

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Well, I'd say you did that and more. I won't be able to acknowledge it in the official report, but trust me when I say that your part in all this will _not_ be forgotten. The Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six won't know, but Soi-Fon and I _will_. You're not some junior officer anymore, Itachi. It will take a bit of time since we're going to need attention from this mission to fade first, but I'll make sure you start getting missions that are a reflection of your _true_ abilities."

"I'm looking forward to it," Itachi replied.

She pulled her hand away, but her eyes were firmly locked with his, and there was an excited gleam within them. "Your Sharingan regained and Shikai unlocked… I can't _wait_ to see where you go from here!"

Itachi gave her a confident smirk. "You won't be disappointed; I promise you that."

….

 **Roughly two months later…**

Walking through the central courtyard of Shin'ō Academy, Itachi found it hard not to be caught up in a sense of nostalgia. He had only graduated from the institution less than a year ago, yet already that almost felt like another lifetime. His student days felt like an innocent bygone era in light of the mission he had just returned from.

 _If I'd told any of my instructors that I would be fighting undead horrors from millennia ago within a year of graduation, they probably would've laughed in my face_ , he mused, _I suppose it'd be hard to blame them. Even now, it's still strange to think about._

The journey back to the Seireitei had been thankfully quite uneventful, which meant that Itachi had had plenty of time to reflect on the mission and all that had transpired. He'd used the time well, going over in his head what had gone well and what would require future improvement, and each time Squad Two had stopped for the night he'd entered his inner world to train with Jigoku no Joō. If he'd thought that their sparring session had been intense before, they were positively tame compared to the bouts they'd engaged in since he'd learned her name. Within the confines of that personal space between Soul Reaper and Zanpakutō, Itachi had been eager to experiment with his abilities, and he had made a startling discovery. His eyes weren't the only ones that had awakened during the mission; whenever he met the gaze of the spirit of his sword, the Sharingan was now within her eyes as well.

Training in his inner world was one thing, but what Itachi had really wanted was to practice with his Shikai and Sharingan in the physical realm. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to do that on the journey home; there was simply too high a chance that someone outside of the close circle that knew of the Sharingan would interrupt his training and learn his secret. Itachi had at least taken comfort in the knowledge that Yoruichi had granted him use of her private training ground, and he had been eagerly awaiting the chance to do just that. However, there was something of even greater importance that he wanted to do first, which was why he had come to the Academy as soon as they'd returned and Yoruichi had given him leave to do so.

 _Forgive me for my absence, mother_ , he thought as he wandered the Academy grounds, _I know I told you that it would be an extended mission and that you shouldn't worry about me, but after we only just found each other in the afterlife… well, asking you to not be concerned was probably too much._

Classes were in full-swing, and since his mother had gotten into the advanced track just like he had during his tenure, Itachi had a pretty good idea as to where she'd be at this hour. Heading towards the portion of the campus devoted to physical combat training, it only took him a moment to find the Hakuda dojo. He hadn't given the Academy staff any advanced warning of his visit, but unannounced class observation by officers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads wasn't actually that unusual. It was a way for divisions to scout potential recruits; Yoruichi had done exactly that while Itachi had been a student, and she was hardly the only Captain to indulge in the practice.

Pausing for a moment outside the door, Itachi heard a familiar chorus of cries and shouts that took him back to the time he'd spent here. Drills were underway, which meant his entrance would likely go unnoticed for a few seconds. Satisfied that he'd come at a time where he wouldn't be an immediate distraction, Itachi slid the door open and stepped inside.

The spacious dojo hadn't changed much since Itachi's student days. It was still kept as clean and tidy as ever, and the trainees were in the same lines that he had once spent time in, going through sequences of punches and kicks while the instructor led from the front of the hall. Itachi instantly recognized the grey-haired Akifumi Kato; it was nice to see that the venerable teacher hadn't decided to step down just yet, though with his advancing years his remaining days at the Academy were likely numbered. Scanning the room, it only took him a moment to find his mother.

She was towards the middle of the pack, but her form was clearly a couple notches above that of her peers. Itachi wasn't surprised; she'd done quite well during the skirmish with the Hollows that he'd rescued her from, after all. While it was Soul Reaper Hakuda that she was training in now, the Leaf Village taijutsu that she had from her time as a Shinobi was serving as a solid foundation. Furtively checking out the other students, Itachi noticed that more than a few were giving her jealous looks.

 _She's likely at the top of the unofficial class hierarchy_ , he thought, _much like Jiraiya and I during our time here._

It was good to know that her skills were serving her well, but Itachi was hoping that she was more than just a good student. Giving the students another look, he saw that several of those closest to her would occasionally give her a nod and a friendly smile, gestures that she would readily return without letting them get in the way of her exercises. Itachi could breathe a little easier now; she had friends here. Then again, he really shouldn't have worried. His mother had been the kindest woman he'd ever known, with her compassion and warmth being one of the few bright spots for him in a childhood that had been tainted by the dark shadows surrounding the clan. Even though she had chastised herself when they had reunited in the Soul Society for giving Sasuke greater attention than Itachi, he had always known that she cared deeply for him. It was only natural that others would recognize her accepting and gentle nature and flock to her.

Some of the students in the front row finally realized that they had an audience, and there was a ripple effect as the whispers worked their way through the crowd. Itachi saw his mother's eyes light up as she met his gaze, and he gave her a small smile and a nod in greeting. She seemed to understand that he didn't want to interfere, because she continued with her exercises without missing a beat.

Instructor Kato was only now aware of the disturbance, and it took him a moment to find the source. "Itachi Uchiha! This is a surprise!"

"Don't mind me, Instructor," he said, "I'm only here to observe today."

The teacher gave him a nod, although the raised eyebrow indicated that he didn't entirely buy it. "Very well, then."

Itachi simply leaned back against the wall as class continued. While he had told the instructor to pay him no heed, naturally the students had other ideas. It was another reminder of the time he'd spent at the Academy; the class would always be abuzz whenever a Soul Reaper dropped by to sit in on lessons and training. Curious eyes naturally drifted towards his Zanpakutō, doubtlessly wondering if he'd already achieved Shikai or not. Itachi couldn't help but notice that he was drawing a disproportionate share of female attention; some things truly never changed.

 _Jiraiya would enjoy that, I'm sure_ , he mused, _I wonder if he's stopped by here at all since graduation, apart from helping out with this year's student orientation that is…_

Drills eventually came to an end, and Instructor Kato proceeded to match the students up for assigned sparring. His mother got paired with another woman, one who was a bit shorter than her and had bright orange hair which fell almost to her shoulders. She had rather pale skin, which contrasted quite sharply with her dark blue eyes. The woman appeared a bit on the timid side, but she still seemed comfortable enough with Mikoto, and Itachi doubted that Instructor Kato would've paired the two of them up for sparring if her abilities weren't at least close to that of his mother.

The teacher gave the signal, and the assigned pairs immediately engaged. There was a moment of hesitation before the orange-haired girl attacked, and Itachi instantly recognized that his mother had waited and let her make the first move.

 _So, there_ is _a skill gap between them. She's trying to help her build up her confidence and technique._

 _ **That's sweet of her**_ , Jigoku no Joō chimed in, _**I wonder if that girl recognizes the charity she's being given, or if it will really help her in the long run. Hard lessons tend to be the more effective ones.**_

 __ _There's nothing wrong with a more compassionate approach in an environment like this. If the girl doesn't get a chance to build up faith in her skills, she'll be hampered by a lack of self-esteem. My mother clearly recognizes this. Besides, it's not like she's letting her win; she merely allowed her the initiative for this round._

 _ **I suppose so. Still, she's soft. I know she wants to join you in Squad Two, but I have to wonder if she's really cut out for it.**_

 __ _She was once a Shinobi, just like I was. She understands what we are called to do. When the time comes, she'll do what is necessary._

 _ **We shall see.**_

 __Itachi's assessment of his mother had been accurate; while she'd allowed her opponent to take the offensive at first, her defense was solid and her foe could not break through. Leaf Village taijutsu and Soul Reaper Hakuda flowed together in a beautiful display. Mikoto's blocks were all perfectly placed; she was reading her foe well even without the aid of the Sharingan. After a few minutes of letting her foe punch and kick at her as she pleased, his mother finally countered. Catching her opponent's right leg as the orange-haired girl had attempted a high kick, Mikoto effortlessly threw the young woman to the ground. The girl tried to recover, but Itachi's mother pounced with all the grace of a cat, pinning her opponent and forcing her to yield before gently pulling her to her feet a moment later.

 _See? Hardly taking it easy on her._

 _ **A nice display. She has talent. Needs work, though. She missed a few earlier openings.**_

 __ _I'm sure she'd appreciate your commentary._

 __The rest of the assigned sparring passed without incident, and soon enough it was time for the challenge matches. Itachi was curious to see if any student would call out his mother, but after a few moments it became apparent that no one was particularly eager to challenger her today. A match did get set up a few seconds later, but Mikoto wasn't one of the contestants. Itachi was a bit disappointed; he'd been hoping to see how far she would go to protect her place in the unofficial class hierarchy.

The matches that went by didn't particularly stand out as far as Itachi was concerned. None of them involved his mother, and while a few students did show potential most of them were solidly middle of the road when it came to ability. Itachi supposed that he might've been holding them to too high a standard; they _were_ only first years, after all, and it wasn't like the rest of them had Leaf Village taijutsu as a base to build their Hakuda skills off of.

After the last match came to a close, Instructor Kato motioned for the assembled students to stand up. "That concludes today's training. I will see you all tomorrow. Your Kidō class awaits."

The students began heading towards the door, stopping to grab their Zanpakutōs before heading out. Many of them gave Itachi curious looks, but the Sixteenth Seat paid them little heed. His focus was on his mother, who had lingered behind with the young orange-haired girl from before. After the rest of the class had left, the two of them approached him.

"Mikoto," said the girl accompanying his mother, "is this…?"

Mikoto smiled. "Sure is. Jessica, I'd like you to meet my eldest son. Itachi, this is Jessica Monroe. She's become a good friend of mine since I started lessons here."

Jessica gave him a nervous smile as she held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mister Uchiha."

"No need to stand on ceremony," Itachi replied as he shook her hand, "If you're a friend of my mother, then you can just call me Itachi."

"Oh… thanks," she said, and Itachi thought he detected a hint of a blush.

With introductions out of the way, Mikoto stepped forward and embraced him. "I'm so glad you're back. I knew you said it would be a long mission, but still… I was so worried about you!"

"Forgive me," he replied, "I didn't want to cause you undue stress, although I suppose I was doomed from the start there."

Mikoto shook her head as she released him. "A mother's always going to worry over her son when he's on a dangerous mission. You can't stop that no matter what you try, Itachi."

"How did it go?" asked Jessica, "Your mission, I mean?"

"It was a success," Itachi answered, "I'm afraid I can't say much more than that, though. The details have to remain classified for the time being."

Mikoto nodded. "Of course. How are Shisui and Visaelya? Are they all right? What about Yoruichi?"

Itachi gave her a small smile. "Everyone's fine. We suffered no casualties. Yoruichi should be delivering her report to the Head Captain right about now. Shisui and Visaelya are back at the barracks."

"Good," said Mikoto, "You'll have to bring me by there again sometime; I'd love a chance to visit with them again."

"Mikoto, students aren't usually allowed at the barracks," Jessica pointed out.

Itachi's mother gave him a smile. "Maybe, but officers can invite guests, right?"

Itachi nodded. "We can as long as it's not disruptive. I'll see what I can do, although I don't want to interrupt your studies."

"I wouldn't mind the interruption," said Mikoto with a wink, "I'd love the opportunity to chat with Yoruichi soon. I bet she'd give me all sorts of juicy gossip regarding you!"

"I'm sure she would enjoy doing just that," Itachi dryly replied, already picturing Yoruichi with a mischievous grin on her face.

Jessica tugged on his mother's sleeve. "Mikoto, I know you're happy to see your son, but we need to get going. We're going to be late for Kidō class!"

Mikoto sighed. "You're right. Itachi…"

Itachi shook his head. "Don't apologize. I was actually planning on following you there to observe well. Yoruichi's orders upon our return to the Seireitei were to take a break and spend some time with you. If you're not opposed to it, I'd love to see how far you've come. Since I'm an officer now, I can simply pass off my presence to your instructors as scouting potential recruits on behalf of my Captain."

Mikoto grinned. "In that case, what are we standing around here for? Come on!"

Mikoto and her friend set off, with Itachi following in their wake. He allowed himself a small, content smile; perhaps this really was just what he needed after a long field assignment. If nothing else, he planned to make the most of it.

….

Sitting next to Captain Hikifune, Yoruichi maintained an air of strict professionalism as she watched Head Captain Yamamoto from across his desk. It was tempting to allow her gaze to drift to the Nalatarin that now sat on the smooth and polished surface, but she knew that the old man would not approve of it. She was sure he'd understand that she wasn't trying to use the artifact, but he would still frown upon the slightest wavering of her attention. That was the Head Captain she'd come to know over her years of service; he expected nothing less than the best from the top officers in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Living up to his standards could be quite challenging at times, but this was tempered with the knowledge that his strictness also came hand in hand with a sense of fairness and justice. Granted, it was usually a very _tough_ justice, but it was at least comforting to know that all of her fellow Captains were held to the same exacting standards.

She curiously observed him shift his focus from the report she'd prepared to the Nalatarin itself, and for a moment she wondered if _he_ intended to use it here and now. The old man certainly possessed more than sufficient power for it, and his iron discipline meant that he could likely keep it activated for quite some time regardless of whether or not the artifact recognized him as a legitimate user.

 _Actually, for all I know, he might truly_ be _a legitimate user_ , she mused, _I mean, he_ is _connected to the old royal family by blood, and he was actually alive during the kingdom's twilight years. Maybe he's got firsthand experience with a Nalatarin…_

There was a slight stirring of energy in the room, as if the Head Captain and the artifact were probing each other. It only lasted for a moment, though, before Yamamoto turned his attention to Yoruichi.

"Quite the thorough report," he said, and Yoruichi could've sworn the old man almost looked amused, "It's been some time since you last presented me with such interesting reading, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi felt that she could afford a smile; things seemed to be off to a good start. "Glad I was able to give you some decent material, Head Captain."

Kirio nodded, her gaze shifting towards the Nalatarin. "In more ways than one, it would seem. When I heard you'd been dispatched to Menar Issilaya, I figured you'd return with a few artifacts, but… well, I certainly didn't see _this_ coming."

"Indeed," said Yamamoto, "The artifact can wait for the moment, though. Of more immediate concern to me is the nature of the enemy you faced in the catacombs beneath the Moon Tower. You are _certain_ that it was a wraith, yes?"

Yoruichi nodded firmly. "Beyond a shadow of a doubt. It might've been the weakest of the five, but it was still a wraith nonetheless."

Kirio shook her head. "To think that one of _those_ things was interred beneath the Moon Tower, and that its escape was the cause of Menar Issilaya's fall… I suppose it puts that old mystery to bed, but it raises some very concerning questions."

"Yes," Yamamoto replied grimly, "It might've only broken the seal because the barrier was weakened by a Hollow attack from the outside, but the fact remains that it managed to free itself just the same and wreak great carnage. If the weakest of the five was able to slip loose from its bonds, then the other four could just as easily have done the same. They've had plenty of time, after all."

Yoruichi concurred. "They've been out of sight and out of mind for far too long. We know for sure now that they can be destroyed. I recommend that we track down the locations where the other four were interred. We need to confirm if the seals are still intact or if they've been broken over the millennia. If the latter is the case, then we need to hunt down and destroy them."

Kirio scratched her chin in thought. "Where were the other four entombed, though? Accurate records regarding the Lady of Midnight and her Servants have always been difficult to come across outside of the archives of the Great Noble Houses. I'll comb through Squad Twelve's collection, but I cannot guarantee that we'll find a lead."

Yamamoto turned to Yoruichi. "Your family's archives would likely have the most accurate information on the matter."

Yoruichi nodded. "If there are clues to the locations of the other four wraiths, they'll likely be there. I doubt the clan will like us delving into those particular records; you know just as well as I do how eager they are to forget that whole episode regarding the Lady of Midnight and her companions. Even if I were the one doing the research, there'd probably still be some pushback. If I had _your_ backing though, Head Captain, they wouldn't dare stand in the way."

"Then you shall have it," Yamamoto replied, "I'll have a Hell Butterfly sent to your clan's Seireitei estate. Should that prove insufficient, I ask that you invite me to accompany you or whoever you send in your stead to browse the family archives; I find that when I visit a Great Noble House in person, it tends to open many doors that would otherwise remain closed."

Yet again, Yoruichi could've sworn she caught just the faintest hint of an amused look in the Head Captain's eyes. Glancing over at Kirio, she saw her fellow Captain struggling to suppress a smirk; she'd caught it, too.

"I doubt that will be necessary," said Yoruichi, "but I appreciate the gesture just the same, Head Captain. My Third Seat has accessed the archives on my behalf in the past, and while my family wasn't happy about it, they ultimately _did_ allow it. I'm sure they'll be even less thrilled than before, but they should allow it again given the circumstances."

Privately, she had to admit that the thought of the Head Captain showing up on her family's doorstep and cowing them into opening up the archives was actually kind of funny. While she wanted to avoid an incident, seeing her parents sweat a bit in the presence of her boss would almost be worth it.

Yamamoto nodded before turning his attention to the artifact on his desk. "We'll deal with that eventuality when the time comes. In the meanwhile, there's the not inconsiderable matter of this treasure your subordinate recovered from the apex of the Moon Tower. Tenth Seat Uchiha was the one that retrieved it, yes?"

"That's correct, sir," Yoruichi answered, growing a little tense.

 _Keep your cool_ , she told herself, _You'll have a better chance of keeping the Sharingan a secret if you just act natural. Don't give the old man any cause to suspect that there's more to those two than the report suggests._

The Head Captain's brow furrowed slightly as he regarded her. "And he did _not_ attempt to use it, correct?"

"That's right," said Yoruichi, "My Eighteenth Seat was with him, and she recognized both the artifact itself and the danger it posed. Thanks to her counsel, he was able to retrieve it without incident."

"She was not the only one with him at the time, though," Yamamoto pointed out, "Your Twentieth Seat was with him as well, according to your report. You also mentioned that you shared knowledge of this artifact with your Sixteenth Seat, Third Seat, and your bodyguard. How many others are aware of the Nalatarin?"

"Only them, and the three of us here," Yoruichi replied firmly, "Those that know are those that I believed needed to know the truth, and I was debriefing them all at the same time when the artifact was revealed. I made sure that they all understood what it was and the importance of keeping it a secret. They haven't spoken of it to anyone else; you have my word on that."

There was a heavy pause before the Head Captain finally nodded. "I will hold you to that, Captain Shihōin. Your faith in your subordinates is admirable, and your report speaks highly of their conduct ono this mission. I hope that they continue to prove themselves worthy of that faith."

"They will, sir," Yoruichi affirmed.

The Head Captain seemed to relax a bit, and Yoruichi actually detected a bit of weariness in his demeanor; that wasn't like him. She suspected she knew what the source of it was, and she got her answer a moment later.

"In any case, I don't see your subordinates being an issue here," said Yamamoto, "However, I must give your report to the Central Forty-Six, and that will very much be a different story."

Kirio shook her head in disdain. "I can already picture it. I'd be surprised if some of the old farts didn't drop dead from heart attacks on the spot."

"I highly doubt they would appreciate being referred to as such," the Head Captain admonished her, "I will let it slide in the privacy of this office, but do not forget yourself, Captain Hikifune. The Central Forty-Six has ears of its own, after all."

Kirio nodded. "Of course, Head Captain."

Yamamoto shifted his gaze to Yoruichi. "You know what will happen once the report is delivered, I presume."

"I already discussed that with my subordinates," Yoruichi answered, "They know things might get a bit… _exciting_ for a while."

The Head Captain actually chuckled at that. "Exciting… I suppose that's _one_ way to look at it. I will do what I can to keep pressure from the Great Noble Houses from impacting your operations, but I'm sure that your own family will be reaching out to you through private channels. Are you prepared to rebuff them?"

"Of course," Yoruichi replied matter-of-factly, "My family has enough artifacts in its private collection as it is; they can afford to miss out on one or two."

Kirio sighed and gave Yoruichi a pitying look. "Given the nature of this particular artifact, I think they'll be more than a little upset at 'missing out' on it. You're going to be in for a rough few weeks at least.

Yoruichi shrugged. "It's nothing that I haven't dealt with before. No different than saying no to all the suitors they've tried to line me up with over the years."

"But it won't just be your own family that you'll be facing pressure from," Kirio pointed out, "Captain Drakken's niece is your Eighteenth Seat, right? Even if you trust her to not leak information, that won't mean much after the Head Captain delivers the report to the Central Forty-Six. Her family will try to use her position against you the instant they realize what's going on."

Yoruichi nodded grimly. "Believe me, I'm well aware of that, and so is she. She's tougher than she looks… although this definitely will be a test for her."

"A test that will show how strong her dedication to duty truly is," said Yamamoto, "I hope your Eighteenth Seat is up to the challenge. Speaking of your junior officers, there is one more matter in your report that I'd like to discuss. You indicated that your Sixteenth Seat unlocked his Shikai during the mission, yes?"

Yoruichi smiled. "That's right. Itachi did well to awaken it under such pressure, and it proved most useful in helping to deal with the wights."

 _Not to mention the wraith_ , she thought, _I'm sorry that I had to omit that bit, Itachi. You already told me not worry about it, I know, but still… I wish I could give you the credit you deserve._

"I suppose he will not remain Sixteenth Seat for much longer, then," Yamamoto replied, and Yoruichi saw a very small smile beneath that massive mustache of his, "Your report mentioned it was a fire-type. I'd like the chance to see it for myself sometime."

Yoruichi's smile remained, but that was just a mask now; she needed to play things _very_ carefully here. "I'm sure he'd be honored by your interest, but he's indicated to me that he wants time to further develop it in private. Right now, it's still very raw and requires considerable refining."

 _Plus, there's the fact that I don't know if he can use his Shikai separately from his Sharingan, and Itachi doesn't know that yet either._

The Head Captain nodded, seemingly not in the mood to press the issue at the moment. "I understand. Given what he demonstrated during his test following the soul fracture incident, I'm sure that he'll give his training the diligence and effort that it deserves."

Yoruichi had to refrain from sighing with relief, instead settling for a more genuine smile. "You can count on that, Head Captain."

….

Across the table from him, Mikoto raised her cup. "Congratulations on unlocking your Shikai! I'm _so_ proud of you, Itachi!"

All Itachi could do was sheepishly smile as he raised his cup with her before taking a sip from its contents. The tea was quite refreshing, and he took a long swig in order to give himself a bit more time to compose himself. Having his mother praising him again after so long was something he still wasn't quite used to, although the feeling was rather pleasant.

 _ **You're lucky that your Captain's not present at the moment**_ , Jigoku no Joō teased, _**I can just picture her having a bit of fun with your flustered expression, and your mother would probably join her!**_

 __ _I'm sure she would._

Academy classes had ended for the day, and Itachi had decided to treat his mother to a teahouse in the Seireitei that he'd grown rather fond of since graduating. They'd arrived just a little while ago, and their drinks were still quite warm. The early evening crowd was still trickling in; it wouldn't be long before the dinner rush was in full swing.

"Thank you," he said, "I'm glad it happened when it did; things weren't looking so good when it activated."

Mikoto sighed. "You really can't tell me _anything_ about your mission beyond that? Surely you can at least give me a general idea as to what it was about!"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm afraid not. We made a few politically sensitive discoveries, and right now Yoruichi's concerned about potential blowback. Until things die down, I'm afraid there's not much I can tell you about the mission itself."

His mother frowned. "Itachi, I want to support your growth as a Soul Reaper, but… the whole mess between the clan and the village was 'politically sensitive', to put it mildly. I saw what that did to you, even before… that night. You said that you've spoken to Yoruichi about what happened with the clan, so she should know better than to involve you in anything like that."

Itachi shook his head. "This isn't anything like what happened with our clan. You have my word on that. We just found a few things that are going to ruffle some feathers around here. Once the initial furor subsides, I'm sure Yoruichi would be fine with me going into greater detail as to what happened. For now, all I can ask is that you trust me."

Mikoto gave him a soft smile as she reached across the table and took his hand. "Itachi, of course I trust you. I just don't want you to get caught up in anything like… well, you know."

"I can't make any promises," Itachi countered, "Squad Two's mission profile is about as close to that of Shinobi as any of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads gets. Since Yoruichi knows about my past now, she also has a greater understanding of my experience and how that enhances my abilities and skillset as a Soul Reaper. As I advance through the ranks, I suspect that missions involving noble intrigue and political espionage are eventually going to crop up."

"You're probably right," Mikoto conceded grimly, worry clear in her eyes, "but still… she's got other Soul Reapers who can handle matters like that, right? It wouldn't have to be _you._ "

"That depends on the mission," Itachi argued, "The day could come when there's one that's perfectly suited to my unique blend of experience and skill. That being said, I know an assignment like that wouldn't be one that she'd give to me lightly. She understands the toll that the clan downfall took on me… the price I paid to carry out the mission. I can't predict the future; I have no way of knowing what sort of sensitive mission I might get down the line. However, I trust Yoruichi's judgment. I owe her that faith at least… and a good deal more."

Mikoto sighed before smiling again. "I see… I would hope that she doesn't give you any assignments like that, but given the nature of Squad Two I suppose it'd be impossible to rule such a scenario out. If you really do trust Yoruichi that much, then I will, too. I know we only spoke for a little while, but I can tell that she really does care for you. I'm glad she's the Captain you decided to follow… and she's _very_ lucky to have you in her division."

Itachi shook his head. "The lucky one is me. I don't know if any of the other Captains would've accepted what I've done. Yoruichi… she was willing to listen to it all. Every dark deed… all while withholding judgment, and in the end still accepting me as her subordinate and placing faith in me."

Mikoto's smile grew a little at that. "That really meant a lot to you. I can see why… you have no idea how often I thought of you after I passed on. That horrible night… I could only imagine how it devastated you. The pain that your father and I felt was fleeting, but yours had only just begun. I'm glad that you found someone here who gave you what you really needed; a willing ear, an open mind, and a warm heart."

Itachi looked down at his tea, his mind flashing back Yoruichi's embrace of him after his dark tale. "I suppose that's one way to put it."

There was a knowing look in his mother's eyes. "She's become very important to you, hasn't she?"

Itachi struggled to find an appropriate answer, but his thoughts were derailed when he sensed a familiar spirit energy approaching. Turning towards the entrance of the teahouse, he saw none other than Jiraiya enter the establishment a moment later. The Legendary Sannin's gaze immediately found his, and Itachi had a feeling that Jiraiya hadn't come here by accident.

"Well, now, look who's finally back in town!" he called out as he made his way over, "Good to see you're still alive, Itachi!"

"Jiraiya," Itachi answered with a nod, "What brings you here?"

"Oh, come on, _that's_ how you greet me?" Jiraiya replied, faking a wounded sigh, "I thought we were friends by now, Itachi! How about actually showing it?"

"You know how my son is, Jiraiya," Mikoto chimed in with a smile, "He's never going to be as outgoing and expressive as someone like you."

Jiraiya grinned. "Hey, Mikoto! Fancy meeting you here. You two got room for one more?"

"I suppose so," said Itachi, shooting Jiraiya a no-nonsense look, "provided your hands don't start _wandering_."

Jiraiya gave a hearty laugh. "All right, all right! No need to be paranoid, Itachi. I'll behave myself."

Itachi wanted to believe Jiraiya, but the fact that the notorious Pervy Sage had then proceeded to sit down right next to his mother did little to ease his suspicions. He resolved to keep a _very_ close eye on his fellow former Shinobi, just in case he got any ideas.

One of the waitresses came by take Jiraiya's drink order before conversation resumed, with Jiraiya wasting no time in getting down to business. "You know, there's been a few juicy rumors circulating since you guys got back. Sounds like you had a pretty exciting mission."

Itachi's eyes narrowed; Yoruichi should've only just finished delivering her report to the Head Captain a little while ago. Had Yamamoto already gone to pass it on to the Central Forty-Six? Was the Nalatarin securely in Squad Twelve's possession now, or had something gone wrong?

"What sort of rumors?" he asked, his voice barely above a guttural growl; he needed to make damn sure Jiraiya got the hint about how serious this affair was.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Something about you guys going to a haunted city, for starters. I mean, since this is the afterlife, you'd think ghost stories would be redundant, but there are some wild ones about the place your division supposedly went to! Some kind of phantom that even Hollows are afraid of? A cursed valley? What kind of mess did you get yourself into on this one, Itachi?"

Itachi allowed his demeanor to soften somewhat; if those were the type of rumors going around, then the truly sensitive bits regarding his assignment were probably still concealed for the time being. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the matter in detail. Sorry, Jiraiya; operational security. Give it a few days, though, and I imagine you'll find that the rumors will become much more interesting."

Jiraiya smirked. "So, it's going to be like that, huh? Ah, well, I suppose I can wait a bit. You're back alive, so that's the important part. Shisui and Visaelya doing all right?"

"We suffered no losses," Itachi answered between sips of tea, "No major injuries, either."

Jiraiya grinned. "In that case, how's that lovely Captain of yours doing? You were out in the wilderness with her for a few good months; did you two get any quality alone time together?"

"It was a mission, not a sight-seeing tour," Itachi replied curtly.

There was a mischievous glint in Jiraiya's eyes. "That wasn't a 'no', Itachi!"

Mikoto giggled. "He's right, Itachi! All that time out there… you must've had at least a _little_ bonding time with Yoruichi."

 _Pressed on two fronts, now_ , he mused, _I should've known that she'd side with Jiraiya here…_

"As I said before," he countered, "I can't discuss the details of the mission. Sorry, but you'll get no gossip from me."

Jiraiya shook his head. "And here I was hoping that you had lightened up a bit…"

Mikoto smiled. "Well, I suppose it can't be helped. Itachi, can I at least tell him what you told me earlier? It's a mother's prerogative to brag about her son's accomplishments, after all."

Itachi couldn't help but give her a small smile in response. "There's no harm in that."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow as he turned to Mikoto. "Oh, what did I miss earlier?"

Mikoto was beaming with pride now. "Itachi awakened his Shikai during the mission!"

Jiraiya looked at Itachi, his eyes widening slightly. "Really? Your grouchy sword finally decided to play nice?"

 _ **Who is he calling grouchy? The nerve of that buffoon! Itachi, release me so I can set his hair on fire; I have to show him his place!**_

 __ _I think in the middle of a teahouse is a poor time and place for such retribution._

 _ **I'll make you pay in his place during training should you continue to restrain me like this.**_

 __ _I'll just have to take the hit, then._

Itachi kept his cool demeanor as the spirit of his Zanpakutō muttered all manner of interesting curses inside his head. "Yes, she did. I'll show you sometime, provided it's somewhere without an audience. As it turned out, unlocking my Shikai allowed for _another_ awakening as well."

The look in Jiraiya's eyes was all Itachi needed to see that he'd gotten the underlying message. "Is that so? Well, we really need to find some time to train together, then. I'm looking forward to seeing what you're capable of now."

Itachi nodded. "That makes two of us. How are things going on your end?"

Jiraiya shrugged as the waitress returned with his tea. "Can't complain. Still no Shikai for me, but I'm making progress in other areas. My Rasengan's getting closer to its old strength with each passing day, and I've been doing some experimenting with other old Shinobi tricks as well. It's been slow going since I have to balance that with my duties as an officer of Squad Eight, but I'd say things are looking promising."

Itachi leaned forward slightly, keen to learn more. "What other ninjutsu are you attempting to recreate?"

"I'm trying to keep it basic for now," Jiraiya replied, "Manipulating spirit energy in the same manner that we did chakra isn't exactly easy, as I'm sure you're aware. Some of the techniques from our old lives may truly be beyond us as souls, although right now it's too early to say for sure. For the moment, I'm focusing on manipulating it within the body, particularly my hair; I want to see if I can pull off some of my old offensive and defensive techniques with it."

"I see," said Itachi, "I've been so focused on developing my abilities as a Soul Reaper that I'll admit I've neglected efforts to revive my old ninjutsu techniques, at least those outside of taijutsu. Your training in this area seems to have borne fruit, though. I can think of more than a few ninjutsu that would come in handy in our new line of work. I'll have to incorporate those studies alongside training with my Shikai."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, now that you've awakened both your Shikai and your old ace in the hole, I'd say you'll probably make some damn good progress with reviving ninjutsu. You were renowned as a prodigy back in the Leaf Village, so I'm sure you'll make strides in no time at all once you give it proper focus. Of course, don't go getting ahead of yourself; I'm not about to slow down anytime soon."

Itachi nodded. "I'd expect nothing less from you."

"You two better not work yourselves too hard," Mikoto chimed in, "It's important to take some time to relax now and then, too."

Jiraiya laughed. "Oh, trust me, I won't argue with you there! Itachi's another matter, though. I think relaxing is still something of a foreign concept to him."

Itachi couldn't suppress a small chuckle. "Well, we all have areas where we need to improve."

"And this is one that you've _always_ had trouble with," Mikoto pointed out, "I know you enjoyed training with Shisui back when you both were alive, but that was still far too work-related to really count as relaxing. What you really need to do is find yourself a new hobby, Itachi."

"I read Jiraiya's latest novels whenever they hit the shelf," Itachi argued, "Doesn't that count?"

Mikoto's eyes actually widened for a moment before she started laughing. "Oh, Itachi… I never thought that _you_ would enjoy stories like _that!_ "

"Hey, now!" Jiraiya bristled, "What's that supposed to mean? I write quality young adult material, you know! Squad Nine's _Seireitei News Magazine_ consistently has me in their Top Ten Author's list; I've been there since I picked the pen back up. I'm a hit in the afterlife, which are words that I never thought I'd utter before… well, dying."

Mikoto shook her head, although she was having considerable difficulty in tamping down her laughter enough to actually speak coherently. "Jiraiya… I didn't mean anything _bad_ by that! I just… I never expected _Itachi_ to be into… _that_ kind of material!"

He gave his mother a small smile. "Neither did I when I was alive. Death tends to change one's perspective, I suppose."

"Ain't that the truth," said Jiraiya, "Well, I did dedicate the first book of the new series to you, so I'm glad you've kept up with it. Always nice to have a fan that's also a friend."

"Friends were always in short supply for Itachi," Mikoto added, smiling softly, "I'm glad that he's been able to forge new friendships here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, we got off to a rocky start. Still, we managed to smooth things over. Getting some key information and context definitely helped."

Mikoto looked back and forth between Itachi and Jiraiya. "Key information… Itachi, did you tell him…?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, I did. Jiraiya knows the truth about what happened that night, mother."

"I see," she said quietly before looking at Jiraiya again, "I'm sure it wasn't an easy tale to believe."

Jiraiya sighed. "That's putting it lightly. Hearing that the Third Hokage had retroactively signed off on it was the hardest to accept. Not to diminish what happened to your family, of course… it's just that part was the one that really got me."

Mikoto shook her head. "It's all right. You were one of his three students, right? It's never easy when we learn truths that our mentors would prefer remain hidden."

Jiraiya took a long and thoughtful sip of his tea. "You're not wrong there. It doesn't change the respect I have for my old teacher, but… it's definitely something I'd like to talk to him about when we finally find him."

"That's right," said Mikoto, perking up a bit, "Itachi told me a while back about the project you, him and Shisui are working on. Have you had any luck tracking down others from the Shinobi World?"

"About that," said Jiraiya as his gaze shifted to Itachi, "I might have a lead."

Itachi's brow furrowed as he took another sip from his drink. "What is it?"

"About a week ago, I decided to branch out a bit from our current search grid," Jiraiya replied, "Well, it was actually kind of an accident; I _was_ following our grid, but a Hollow incursion shook things up. I might've been off duty, but I was still the closest Soul Reaper in the area, so I moved in. There was only one of the beasts, and it wasn't anything special. I dispatched it pretty quickly. No civilians were hurt, but the creature's appearance naturally caused a panic. In the chaos, one of the people that was fleeing dropped something."

He fished inside his robes and pulled out what looked like a small copper coin before passing it to Itachi. It didn't match the Soul Society's general currency, and as Itachi inspected it he realized that it likely wasn't meant for broad circulation. One side of the coin was completely blank, but the other had a _very_ familiar design etched into it.

A swirl with a small triangle jutting out from the left.

The symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Itachi looked up at Jiraiya. "What district was this dropped in?"

"North 62," Jiraiya answered.

"Interesting…" Mikoto murmured as she looked at the design, "I don't recall the Hidden Leaf Village having currency like this."

"I don't think it's actually money," Itachi argued, "It's more a like a token. Perhaps meant to signify belonging?"

"You're thinking it could be used like a password?" asked Jiraiya, "Show to someone to prove you were from the Leaf Village when you were alive?"

Itachi nodded. "That's my guess. Yours?"

"About the same," he replied, "Flash it to a sentry and gain entrance to the Hidden Leaf's enclave here in the Soul Society, or something like that. Of course, it's all just speculation right now. Still, you making the same guess as me definitely makes me more confident about it."

"Did you see who dropped it?" asked Mikoto.

Jiraiya shook his head. "Thanks to the panic stirred up by the Hollow, it was a pretty hectic scene. By the time I took out the target and found the token, whoever dropped it was long gone."

"Was it really dropped on accident?" Itachi mused aloud, "The fact that you were in the area at the time, and a well-known Leaf Village Shinobi too…"

Mikoto looked concerned. "Do you think it could be a trap? Someone from the Shinobi World with a grudge against Jiraiya?"

"I did consider that," Jiraiya conceded, "The more time I've had to think about, though, the less I'm willing to buy it. There was no way I would've gone in that direction if that Hollow hadn't shown up, and to my knowledge people can't just summon those things. I suppose someone could've been in the area and saw me approaching, might've decided that this was an opportunity and improvised, but I don't think it's likely."

Itachi nodded. "I think you're right. Besides, look at the craftsmanship on this thing. This isn't some poor improv job; whoever created it has had the time to perfect their art. It's likely a standardized design at this point."

"So, does this mean that some people from our old village have managed to reunite out there in the Rukon District?" asked Mikoto.

"It points in that direction," said Jiraiya with a smile, "and it's the first real lead we've had on this project."

"It's definitely worth following up on," Itachi concurred, "Mind if I borrow this? Shisui will want to see it."

Jiraiya nodded. "Sure. In the meantime, looks like North Rukon is where we should be concentrating our search. We can draft up a new grid, maybe go from North Sixty to North Seventy?"

"Sounds good to me," said Itachi, "We can always expand out from there if the trail goes cold."

Jiraiya grinned. "All right, then! Nice to finally pick up a lead on this… not counting your mother, of course."

"I don't think I would really count as lead in any case," Mikoto replied, "Before Itachi found me, I hadn't run into anyone from the Leaf Village in the Soul Society, or from the Shinobi World at all for that matter. If I did, I didn't recognize them."

"That could always change," Itachi noted, "You'll have six years at the Academy, meaning you'll have plenty of time to observe students from not only your class, but those above it as well, not to mention the new ones that will come in as time passes. If you see anyone that looks familiar or suspicious, let us know."

"How?" asked Mikoto, "I don't have a reliable way of reaching out to you; the only times I get to talk to you are when you come to visit me."

"She's got a point, Itachi," said Jiraiya.

Itachi gave it a moment of thought. "I'll talk to Yoruichi later. The Stealth Force has members that help with security at the Academy, so she should be able to get one or two of them to act as points of contact. From there, it'll be a simple matter for them to relay messages to me."

"That should work," Jiraiya concurred, "but you'll have to be careful; I'm assuming not many members of Squad Two or the Stealth Force know about this little project of ours."

"You're not wrong," Itachi admitted, "We'll have to work out some kind of code system. Actually, we can probably use the old Leaf Village Shinobi covert communications code language. The Shinobi World hasn't really drawn much attention from the Soul Society, which means the people running the place aren't familiar with its intricacies. In situations like this, it gives us a considerable advantage."

Mikoto smiled mischievously. "So, I get to play the part of spy while inside the Academy? My student days sound like they're about to get _much_ more interesting!"

"Try to act like nothing's different," Itachi advised, "We don't want you to draw unnecessary attention."

Mikoto rolled her eyes. "Itachi, I _was_ a Shinobi before I became your mother, remember? I know it's been a while, but I'm still quite familiar with the basics of espionage and infiltration."

"I know," Itachi replied, "I just don't want you to get kicked out of the Academy."

"Oh, don't worry," said Mikoto, smiling again, "I happen to be a favorite of most of the instructors. It'd take quite a bit for them to consider throwing me out. Nevertheless, I'll be careful and stay out of trouble if it makes you feel better, Itachi."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you."

Jiraiya leaned back, a satisfied grin on his face. "You know, I had a good feeling when I woke up this morning, and now I know why. After all this time without a lead for our little project, things are finally looking up!"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Itachi chided him, "We've just got one clue to go off of here, and the trail could go cold quite easily."

His mother shook her head. "Come now, Itachi. You really should be looking on the bright side here!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, you know what they say; old habits die hard. As Shinobi, we _were_ trained to expect the worst and plan accordingly. Still, I'd say this bit of good fortune calls for a celebratory drink. How about you, Itachi?"

Itachi raised his cup of tea, a very small smile appearing on his face. "Yes, it certainly does."

….

 **Three days later…**

"So, how bad is it?" asked Soi-Fon as she dutifully followed in Yoruichi's wake.

"Take a wild guess," Yoruichi grumbled.

Soi-Fon sighed. "I see. Well, we knew this would blow up in our faces eventually. I suppose it's better to get the ugly parts over with sooner rather than later."

Yoruichi reluctantly nodded. "I know. That doesn't mean I'm looking forward to this."

The Head Captain had given her appropriate forewarning before passing her report onto the Central Forty-Six, and Yoruichi had anticipated something like the meeting she and her bodyguard were on their way to playing out. Nothing would really come of it; it was more or less just a formal setting for a certain aggrieved Captain to get some whining onto the official record. She doubted the Head Captain was looking forward to the coming spectacle any more than she was, but the old man's insistence on playing by the book here meant that they had no choice but allow things to play out.

 _No matter how big of a tantrum Rhaegon throws, the Drakken Clan's not getting the Nalatarin_ , she thought wearily, _Head Captain Yamamoto will firmly reject him on that, and the same goes for the other Great Noble Houses. This whole meeting's just going to be one big waste of time._

Yoruichi had been hoping for a bit more time before a meeting like this would be necessary. She'd only just gotten her family to allow Kisuke access to the archives in their Seireitei estate to begin research two days ago, and that wasn't nearly enough time for him to have compiled all the information she needed. At this point, she could only pray that the Head Captain would keep matters focused on the artifact and hold off on the subject of the wraiths until her Third Seat had given her the necessary data.

"Who's going to be in attendance?" asked Soi-Fon, "Apart from Squad Ten and Twelve's Captains and the Head Captain, I mean."

"My money's on Squad Six and Squad Eleven's Captains being there," Yoruichi answered, "They're both from Great Noble Houses, after all. No doubt their families are angling for a shot at the artifact themselves. If they think they're going to get it, they'll be sorely disappointed. The Shiba Clan's going to be interesting; their only current active duty member is Isshin, and he's Squad Ten's Third Seat. I'm not sure if he'll be there or not. It's entirely possible that Rhaegon might try to keep him out in order to cut down on the competition, as it were. I supposed we'll find out soon enough."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "The Nalatarin _is_ secure, right?"

"Kirio has it locked away in Squad Twelve's high-security vault," Yoruichi replied firmly, "Her division might not be the most powerful in terms of combat potential, but they take securing artifacts _very_ seriously. That thing's not going anywhere anytime soon."

"No matter how big of a fit the Great Noble Houses have over it?" Soi-Fon pressed.

"The Head Captain won't budge on this," said Yoruichi, "They know that, which is why the heat's going to come down on us. Hope you're ready for a scorching."

"Whatever it takes, Lady Yoruichi," Soi-Fon answered, "I'll stand by you no matter what."

Yoruichi couldn't resist a smile. "I know."

The doors to the meeting room were just at the end of the hall. She'd passed through them countless times since becoming a Captain, but this was a part of the job that Yoruichi would freely admit that she still didn't particularly like. Yes, it was good to hash out disagreements and disputes in a formal setting, but so many times they just felt like petty arguments that distracted from their real mission.

They were the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; their mandate was to protect the balance of souls. They were supposed to have an eye towards the big picture and act to ensure continuity and equilibrium between the afterlife and the various Realms of the Living. If there was any sort of job where politics should have been firmly locked out, this was definitely it. The stakes were simply too high for petty disputes and aristocratic posturing; it only sowed discord and made them less effective as a whole.

 _It's a good thing that our main enemies are all external forces_ , she thought, _Hollows, wights, wraiths; they're creatures of carnage and death, and fighting them is relatively straightforward. If we ever pick up an enemy that know how to play the political game and can exploit our internal divisions, we're_ really _going to be in trouble._

"Here we go," Yoruichi muttered under her breath as she pushed the doors open.

Stepping into the meeting hall with her bodyguard in tow, her eyes briefly darted back and forth as she took stock of the attendees. She was pleased to see that her predictions had been mostly correct, although the Captains she had anticipated being here were also accompanied by their Lieutenants, and in the case of Squad Ten both its Lieutenant and Third Seat were present. By tradition, she should've brought her Lieutenant as well, but she'd learned the hard way that Marenoshin Ōmaeda rarely had anything of value to contribute at gatherings like this. The fact that he was easily cowed by those that were higher up in the social pecking order certainly didn't help matters. Soi-Fon was quite another story; while she had respect for the other Captains and Lieutenants, she also had the backbone required to hold her own and argue with them should the need arise.

 _Too bad I can't just kick Ōmaeda out and make her my Lieutenant instead_ , she mused wistfully, _Oh, that'd make life_ so _much easier…_

At the far end of the hall was the Head Captain, with Lieutenant Sasakibe hovering just behind him to the right. Yamamoto gave Yoruichi a brief nod of acknowledgement as she entered, but apart from that he was as inscrutable as ever. Even with his power severely tamped down to avoid harming the weaker attendees, his simple presence gave the air in the room an almost oppressive weight. The other Captains and Lieutenants were arrayed in two rows descending from the Head Captain's left and right respectively. Traditionally, Captains from even-numbered divisions occupied the row to the Head Captain's right, while those from odd-numbered divisions took the left. The rows went in descending order, which meant that Yoruichi as Squad Two's Captain had the distinct honor of having the spot just to the right and front of the Head Captain. She'd always found it to be a mix of blessing and curse; the position made it easy to make an argument directly to the Head Captain since she didn't have to fight from the back of the hall to make her voice heard, but it also meant that she had a front row seat whenever the old man felt he had to put his foot down.

Since this wasn't a full Captains' meeting, the rows were shorter than usual, although the presence of junior officers did compensate a bit for that. This thankfully meant that the gauntlet Yoruichi and Soi-Fon had to run was a short one, and it also made it easier to make a quick assessment of the other attending officers.

The row to the Head Captain's left was quite short today, seeing as of all the odd-numbered divisions apart from the first only Squad Eleven was putting in an appearance today. Captain Torrence Starmont's fierce grey eyes narrowed as her gaze briefly met his, and it wasn't hard at all to detect a hint of animosity. The two of them had never really had any personal problems with each other in the past, but Squads Two and Eleven did have something of a rivalry due to one being focused on the more shadowy aspects of warfare while the other prided itself on direct combat. Doubtlessly the man had been pestered by his clan non-stop since the Head Captain had informed the Central Forty-Six of the Nalatarin's discovery, and his likely annoyance at the petty politics of the matter was probably fueling the hostility she sensed from him. His lumbering brute of a Lieutenant seemed bored more than anything else, which was hardly surprising; to Yoruichi's knowledge, Gosuke Kiganjō had never shown any particular interest in the administrative side of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. It was actually mildly impressive that his Captain had managed to drag him to the meeting in the first place; the man could be quite obstinate if the mood struck him.

Squad Eleven's Captain and Lieutenant were both incredibly formidable Soul Reapers, but any intimidation factor that might've normally accompanied their presence was significantly dampened when one glanced at the significantly longer row of officers opposite them. Both Squad Six's Captain and Lieutenant were closest to the Head Captain, although the empty space between them and the old man would soon be filled by Yoruichi and Soi-Fon.

Captain Ginrei Kuchiki was one of the old lions of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Although Yoruichi was reasonably certain that the head of the Kuchiki family was nowhere near as old as the Head Captain, his long gray hair, weathered face and thick white mustache were clear indicators that he was definitely getting on in years. The rumor-mill pegged him going on indefinite leave within the next half-century or so, and Yoruichi was aware of a betting pool amongst the junior officers laying stakes on when he would finally step down. Yoruichi had been tempted to join in, but the sharp look in his slate-grey eyes was all she needed to know that he was by no means ready to cap off his career just yet.

She was actually rather grateful for that; over the years, she'd found the elder Kuchiki to be a stabilizing force amongst the Captains. Calm and quiet were his default settings, but when he did speak it was with clarity and decisiveness. He was as aloof as one would expect a high-ranking noble to be, but Yoruichi didn't consider him to be arrogant like plenty of other members of the aristocracy were. Rather, his seemingly-apathetic demeanor came from his extreme patience and desire to hear other viewpoints before making his perspective known. Nevertheless, he still very much carried that firm belief in law-and-order that characterized so many members of the Kuchiki Clan, which meant that he could be too rigid at times for Yoruichi's liking. Still, she respected both his experience and skill, and even in his advancing age she knew that he remained one of the finest Zanjutsu masters in all of the Soul Society. Anyone who underestimated him would quickly come to regret that mistake. Apart from the usual Soul Reaper robes and Captain's haori, the only personal touch Ginrei had added to his uniform was a white scarf that, while on the surface appearing to be quite plain, Yoruichi knew to be in fact worth more than ten Seireitei mansions. Only a keen eye would recognize it as such, though, which Yoruichi found to be rather amusing; other nobles flaunted their wealth for all to see, but Captain Kuchiki treated his as something that only those with sharp eyes and sharper minds should be privileged to comprehend.

Standing behind and to the right of the elder Kuchiki was the younger, although calling him that was a bit of a disservice; Sōjun Kuchiki was a father in his own right, albeit a relatively new one when compared to his Captain. Still, Squad Six's Lieutenant definitely had some youth left compared to his father. A handsome officer, he wore his black hair long and with a single white _kenseikan_ on the left side as a symbol of his noble status. His bluish-purple eyes had a much gentler feel to them when compared to those of his father, and that was supported by the brief smile that he gave Yoruichi and Soi-Fon as they approached. As far as Yoruichi was concerned, Sōjun was pretty chill for a Kuchiki, and she'd even managed to talk him into going drinking with her and a few other officers on a handful of occasions. However, he also had some underlying health issues, although he put great pains into keeping those secret; Yoruichi had only found out due to members of the Stealth Force spotting him visiting Squad Four's barracks on a regular basis. She hadn't considered it her place to pry, and she could only hope that whatever illness he was struggling with wasn't terminal.

Squad Ten's Captain and Lieutenant were up next, and while Obran seemed fairly relaxed he wasn't the one that Yoruichi was worried about. Rhaegon was anything _but_ relaxed; the glare he shot her was downright venomous. Yoruichi's success so close to the borders of the Drakken Clan's Principality had clearly gotten under his skin, and he likely didn't even need his family yammering about the artifact Squad Two had discovered to be angry with her. For all his power and skill, his pride was by far his biggest weakness; it was just so _easy_ to wound, even when someone wasn't even trying. For Yoruichi, the expedition out to Menar Issilaya was nothing more than a mission, albeit a particularly dangerous one. She certainly hadn't meant to press the buttons of Squad Ten's Captain and his notoriously prickly clan, but some things just couldn't be helped.

Isshin Shiba held an interesting position in the gathering. Although a member of Squad Ten, there was actually a bit of space between him and his two superior officers. Rhaegon had apparently either deemed it appropriate to bring him along or had been pressured into it, but the noticeable gap between the Third Seat, Captain and Lieutenant suggested that they expected Isshin to act on the behalf of his Great Noble House here rather than simply fall in line with his superiors. Yoruichi wasn't quite sure how that would play out. Would he really be able to carve out space for himself and compete with the Captains here? She couldn't say for sure.

At least Isshin didn't share his Captain's hostility towards her. In fact, when Yoruichi caught his eye he gave her a shrug that struck her almost as apologetic. She took that as a good sign; it suggested that he wasn't taking this matter personally and was probably less than thrilled about having to play the games of the Soul Society's aristocracy.

 _The Shiba and Shihōin Clans have enjoyed friendly relations for most of our history_ , she thought, _I just hope that when this mess finally blows over those ties won't be strained._

Like Isshin, Kirio didn't seem particularly thrilled about having to attend this meeting. Yoruichi sympathized; while Squad Two had merely discovered the artifact and brought it back to the Seireitei, since Squad Twelve now possessed and safeguarded it that meant the division was at the center of attention for the Five Great Noble Houses. That was hardly an enviable position, to put it mildly. Kirio wasn't the type to bow to that kind of pressure though, and with the Head Captain backing her Yoruichi didn't anticipate there being too much trouble.

Standing behind Kirio was Hiyori. Yoruichi knew how much she hated meetings and had figured that she'd be sulking, but Kirio's Lieutenant seemed to be taking things seriously here. Then again, this _was_ a meeting involving the Head Captain; the old man would be quick to crack down on anyone he deemed to be not treating the matter at hand with the gravity it deserved. Under his watchful eyes, the last thing Hiyori could do was pout about being dragged into what was basically an aristocratic pissing match.

Yoruichi and Soi-Fon took their respective positions at the Head Captain's right hand, and the old man acknowledged them with a nod. "Now that all who have been summoned are here, we can begin."

 _Time for the fireworks to start flying…_

….

Soi-Fon had never really been a fan of gatherings like this. She'd rather be on any kind of actual mission rather than standing in the meeting hall watching Captains indulge in petty melodrama, and that was exactly what she was seeing courtesy of Rhaegon. Sure, Squad Ten's Captain had started things out pleasantly enough, praising Squad Two's performance in the mission, but anyone with properly functioning eyes and ears could tell that it wasn't sincere. From there, it hadn't taken long for his speech to devolve into what Soi-Fon saw as nothing more than petulant whining, and based on the subtle facial cues from the other assembled officers it was clear that most of them felt the same way.

 _I'd always heard that he was a talented public speaker_ , she thought, _I'm having a hard time picturing it right now, though. Maybe it's different when his audience is his own subordinates rather than people who can see through his petty bullshit._

Soi-Fon's mood hadn't been particularly good to start with; she was only here out of loyalty to Yoruichi and the fact that she could serve her here far more effectively than Squad Two's oaf a of a Lieutenant could ever hope to. The longer she had to listen to Rhaegon drag on and on about the pride of his clan being wounded by Squad Two swiping such a valuable artifact from right under their noses, the more she started imagining ways the meeting could be conveniently interrupted and brought to a premature end. At this point, she was desperate enough that she was half-seriously praying for a large-scale Menos Grande surprise attack on the Seireitei just so Squad Ten's Captain would be forced to shut the hell up.

Glancing at Yoruichi, Soi-Fon couldn't help but marvel at her Captain's composure in the face of Rhaegon's ridiculous tantrum. Her expression gave nothing away, but her posture remained firm the entire time. She wasn't about to let herself be cowed by a man who couldn't see past his own ego and that of his clan. She was simply waiting for Rhaegon to tire himself out.

 _The Head Captain's on our side here_ , she reminded herself, _Rhaegon Drakken's doing nothing more than howling at a mountain._

She had to force herself to pay attention as Rhaegon went on, and could only hope that he would run out of breath soon. "Menar Issilaya's ties to the Drakken Clan were strong before the city went silent. While it's true that the city was never part of our official territory, we were still more involved in its affairs than any of the other Great Noble Houses. We had a vested interest in the city's survival and were devastated by its fall. Since the line of lords that ruled Menar Issilaya was lost along with all the other inhabitants when contact ceased, it is only right that the Great Noble House closest to them should carry on in their stead and take custody of what they left behind."

Soi-Fon watched as Squad Ten's Captain turned from the Head Captain towards Yoruichi, and while outwardly he appeared calm, she did not fail to catch the smoldering resentment in his eyes. "By purging the city of the wraith and wights that cursed it, Squad Two did the Soul Society a great service; I will be the first to recognize that. However, Captain Shihōin overstepped her mandate by claiming the Nalatarin! Such a find in Menar Issilaya should've immediately been reported to the Drakken Clan, yet we were kept in the dark for over two months. It would've been a simple matter for Captain Shihōin to dispatch a messenger to the Drakken Clan Principality from her position in the Shadow Pass, yet instead she decided to keep this monumental discovery to herself!"

Soi-Fon bristled; Rhaegon was grossly mischaracterizing Yoruichi's conduct, and he knew it. Any senior officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, let alone a Captain, should've known better. Did that arrogant prick really think he was going to get away with this? She was sorely tempted to speak up, but then the hall began to shudder, and the heat in the air rose noticeably. Sweat building on her brow, she turned towards what she knew to be the source; the Head Captain. The old man hadn't so much as twitched, and his expression remained stony and inscrutable, yet his release of just a fraction of his spirit energy was more than enough to convey his thoughts on Rhaegon's claims.

Glancing at Rhaegon, Soi-Fon had the satisfaction of seeing Squad Ten's Captain actually recoil and his complexion pale considerably. The Head Captain hadn't uttered so much as a single word, yet it was quite clear where his ire was directed. Had Rhaegon really been stupid enough to think that he would get away with trying to mislead not only his fellow Captains, but the commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads himself? Or was he so desperate to claim the Nalatarin for the Drakken Clan that he was willing to risk antagonizing those that he knew should _not_ be trifled with? Either way, it certainly wasn't a good look for him.

The air in the room returned to normal a few seconds later as the Head Captain reined in his spiritual pressure. Rhaegon, sensing quite rightly that he was treading on dangerous ground, thankfully decided to bring his screed to a close.

"All I wish is for my family's historical ties to the late Menar Issilaya and her fallen inhabitants be honored," he concluded, "It is the Drakken Clan's solemn duty to make sure that artifacts from before the city's fall are preserved for posterity. For far too long, we have gone without knowing what became of the poor people we suddenly lost contact with millennia ago. Now that we have an answer thanks to Squad Two's undertaking, we can at long last properly memorialize them, while at the same time learning from what happened to ensure that such a tragedy does not repeat itself."

 _A fine sentiment_ , Soi-Fon thought, _Too bad it's utter horseshit coming from him._

She wasn't sure what would come next. Rhaegon's eyes had turned expectantly towards the Head Captain, but Yamamoto was not giving any indication that he was ready to speak just yet. The tension in the hall was thick; everyone was sizing each other up, looking for the slightest indicator of weakness and the first chance to capitalize on it.

It was Yoruichi who stepped forward first, and while she remained calm on the surface Soi-Fon could detect a certain eagerness in her demeanor; having endured Rhaegon's petty insinuations, she wanted to counterattack. "I can appreciate the Drakken Clan's strong feelings on this matter. However, I find it curious that they only chose to express those feelings _now_ , when in fact they've had over two thousand years to act on them and decided to do nothing. There was nothing stopping them from mounting an expedition of their own into the Shadow Pass. If the clan wasn't so reliant on dragons that refused to go anywhere near that valley after the corruption had taken root there, perhaps we all would've had an answer as to what happened to Menar Issilaya long before now. Instead, they were content to avoid the place, and only now that Squad Two has mounted a successful expedition and exterminated the evil that terrified even their legendary beasts have they chosen to act on its 'solemn duty' towards the old city. I find that rather… _convenient._ "

Soi-Fon had to work had to suppress a smile. Her Captain was coming out swinging, and she was all for it. It was high time that someone aside from the Head Captain put Rhaegon in his place.

Yoruichi wasn't done yet, at least if the sharp look she gave Squad Ten's Captain was any indication. "As for 'overstepping my mandate' as you put it earlier, should I remind you of operational protocol when it comes to discovering high value artifacts? As members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, our duty in these scenarios isn't to inform the Great Noble House with the biggest interest in the artifact of the discovery; it's to inform the Head Captain and the Captain of Squad Twelve. We certainly weren't expecting to find a Nalatarin during our sweep of Menar Issilaya, but when we _did,_ we followed protocol to the letter. If we hadn't, then Squad Twelve would not have the Nalatarin in its high-security vaults; it would be in the hands of the Shihōin Clan, and I can guarantee that my family would've wasted no time in bragging about it. Instead, they found out at the same time the rest of the Great Noble Houses learned of the discovery; after the Head Captain delivered my mission report to the Central Forty-Six. If I'd wanted to keep the artifact for myself and my family, I wouldn't have gone through all the trouble of bringing it back to the Seireitei. It would've been a much simpler matter to dispatch a courier to transport the relic in secret to the Shihōin Clan Principality. No one would've been any the wiser, least of all the Drakken Clan."

Soi-Fon was acutely aware of the bluff there. After all, Visaelya had been present with Shisui and Aika during the artifact's initial discovery. While Rhaegon's niece had demonstrated commendable conduct in the mission and remarkable discipline in keeping word of the discovery within Squad Two, Soi-Fon was certain that part of that was because Yoruichi had demonstrated a commitment to following proper procedure and not favoring any of the Great Noble Houses, including her own. Had she given any indication of wanting to claim the Nalatarin for the Shihōin Clan, Soi-Fon suspected that Visaelya might've handled herself rather differently. Perhaps it wasn't fair to have such suspicions of the young woman; she'd willingly defied her family to join Squad Two in the first place, and at no small personal cost. However, Soi-Fon had to keep a clear head and open eyes when it came to analyzing situations like this. Whatever personal respect she might've had for Squad Two's Eighteenth Seat, she still had to bear in mind where she was from and how her family ties could potentially influence her actions.

She watched as Yoruichi turned from Rhaegon to the Head Captain. "Squad Two's mission was to investigate the Shadow Pass and Menar Issilaya in order to determine if it was fit for reconstruction and garrisoning. Although we never expected to find a wraith there, we were able to defeat it and cleanse the city. Finding the Nalatarin was an unexpected boon, but one that I knew would benefit the Soul Society with proper care and study. In accordance with the regulations laid down by the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and the Central Forty-Six, I duly brought it back to the Seireitei and handed it over to Squad Twelve. If my division exceeded its mandate, it was only in finding such a valuable artifact for our comrades in Squad Twelve to research. I've made no claim to the Nalatarin, and I have no intention of doing so. It is where it belongs now, as everyone in this room should know. All of the Five Great Noble Houses are well aware of our procedures when it comes to artifacts from the old kingdom; they should know better than to press selfish claims in matters like this."

Finally, Soi-Fon saw the Head Captain make a move, albeit only nodding in response to Yoruichi's statement. Still, it was definitely a good sign, and Soi-Fon hoped that signal of support would discourage others from following in Rhaegon's footsteps.

That was when Squad Eleven's Captain stepped forward, and Soi-Fon suspected that he was going to dash her hopes. "While I personally have no disagreements with Captain Shihōin's conduct in her mission, the Starmont Clan does have concerns that I've been asked to address on its behalf. We fully understand the need for studying the Nalatarin, and such inquiries and scholarly pursuits have always been the purview of Squad Twelve. We also understand the Drakken Clan's feelings on the matter. That being said, an artifact such as this is the sort of find that only occurs once in a millennium, if even that. Our clan is worried that Squad Twelve's vaults may not be enough to properly hold the artifact given the fact that the Seireitei is home to many with a keen interest in such a relic. All eyes are now on the Twelfth Division because of this discovery, and that will naturally include those of characters with, shall we say, lesser scruples. As long as the Nalatarin remains in the Seireitei, it poses as a source of temptation. Removing it from the Seireitei for study at a secure location far from prying eyes strikes us as a better approach. To that end, the Starmont Clan has a proposal."

Soi-Fon had a feeling she knew where this was going, and Captain Starmont's following words proved her to be right on the money. "Our family would like to invite a contingent from Squad Twelve to take the artifact to our ancestral fortress within our Principality. Captain Hikifune can pick whichever subordinates she desires to transport the relic, while a sizeable escort will be provided at the Starmont Clan's expense. Our great keep has remained secure for millennia; it has been impregnable since before even the rise of the old kingdom. We will guarantee the safety of the Nalatarin and all Soul Reapers from Squad Twelve that Captain Hikifune wishes to assign to its study. This way it will be far from the prying eyes of the Seireitei, while at the same time under observation from members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads that are outside of my own division."

 _Outside of your division, sure_ , thought Soi-Fon as she immediately picked apart Captain Starmont's proposal, _but within the seat of your family's power. The Starmont Clan's private forces alone would easily be able to overpower any of Squad Twelve's Soul Reapers, and even if Captain Hikifune herself went along the family could still call upon the Order of the Valkyries should they wish. The Nalatarin and anyone Squad Twelve sends north would be at the mercy of the Starmont Clan; hostages in all but name. Anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot._

Indeed, all it took was a glance around the room to see that the other assembled officers had already come to the same conclusion. Well, most of them, apparently. Suffice to say that Soi-Fon was surprised when none other than Rhaegon signaled his approval.

"The Starmont Clan's proposal is reasonable," said the Squad Ten Captain with a smile, "The Drakken Clan would have no objections to it, provided we would be allowed to send a representative in order to keep tabs on the artifact as well and to report back on any new discoveries regarding its capabilities."

Torrence Starmont nodded. "The Starmont Clan would be willing to accommodate such an arrangement."

Alarm bells immediately went off in Soi-Fon's head as she looked back and forth between the Squad Ten and Eleven Captains. Rhaegon had spent a good chunk of the meeting whining and moaning about how the Drakken Clan hadn't been given the Nalatarin, yet he was suddenly fine with a different Great Noble House taking possession of it? It was almost a complete flip from his previous argument, one that didn't make the slightest bit of sense. She glanced at Yoruichi and saw that her eyes had narrowed in suspicion; something was clearly afoot here.

Before Yoruichi or Soi-Fon could raise the obvious objections, though, someone else beat them to the punch; none other than Isshin Shiba. Squad Ten's Third Seat had stepped forward, and while he didn't look particularly pleased with the situation he was now in, he seemed determined to make his voice heard.

"With all due respect for both Squad Eleven's Captain and my own," he stated, "I'm afraid that the Shiba Clan can't go along with this. While I'm sure the Starmont Clan's proposal comes with the best of intentions, the fact remains that it ultimately puts the artifact under the control of a Great Noble House. That's not how these situations are supposed to be handled at all. In the interest of preserving balance and peace within the Soul Society, the only proper course of action is the one that has already been taken; Squad Twelve must remain in possession of the Nalatarin."

Yoruichi was quick to support him. "Third Seat Shiba is right. Regardless of the Starmont Clan's intentions or the security they can offer, the artifact cannot go to any of the Great Noble Houses. The system we abide by now was meant to maintain stability at the upper echelons of the Soul Society; the Starmont Clan's proposal is a direct affront to it. Squad Twelve's direct custody, study and protection of the artifact is the only acceptable outcome here."

Down to the right, Soi-Fon saw Ginrei Kuchiki clear his throat and step forward. "I concur with my esteemed colleagues from the Shiba and Shihōin Clans. The Kuchiki Clan firmly opposes the Starmont Clan's proposal. In accordance with the laws that govern this esteemed body, the Nalatarin _must_ remain with Squad Twelve. No alternate arrangement is permissible. For the sake of maintaining order within our ranks, I suggest that the Drakken and Starmont Clans set aside their egos and remember the bigger picture."

Soi-Fon allowed herself a mental sigh of relief. The head of the Kuchiki Clan joining the Shiba and Shihōin Clans in opposing them put the Drakken and Starmont Clans into a corner. Given the Kuchiki Clan's prominent reputation as upholders of the Soul Society's laws in addition to being determined protectors of its culture and history, Rhaegon and Torrence would be fighting a severe uphill battle if they continued to press the issue. More importantly, in meetings such as this Ginrei Kuchiki's line of thought had been known to tack closely to that of the Head Captain's; if Squad Six's leader wasn't going along with something, Yamamoto likely wasn't either. In that sense, the head of the Kuchiki Clan was a useful gauge for which way the Head Captain would lean on a particular issue. The fact that the two men had a well-known sense of mutual respect for each other as both warriors and leaders certainly didn't hurt.

Kirio stepped forward as well, clearly eager to put another nail into the coffin of the opposing side's argument. "If my colleagues in Squad's Ten and Eleven have doubts as to my division's ability to safely hold high-value artifacts, I would happily extend them an invitation to our barracks. I'd be more than willing to demonstrate our security measures. We pride ourselves on thoroughness and vigilance in our keeping of dangerous relics. There is no safer place in the Soul Society for storing and studying artifacts like the Nalatarin than within the confines of Squad Twelve's facilities."

Two loud thuds came from the end of the hall as the Head Captain pointedly slammed the tip of his Zanpakutō into the floor; Yamamoto had apparently decided it was time to drive the final nail home. "This matter has already been brought before the Central Forty-Six, and judgement has already been rendered. The arguments presented here today by the Drakken and Starmont Clans will _not_ change what has been decided. Squad Twelve will remain custodians of the Nalatarin, and will be charged with carrying out the appropriate study of the artifact to determine if it is safe for the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to make use of it. This meeting was called in an effort to allow dissenting voices a chance to air their concerns, and that has now been accomplished. The matter is closed. Should any officer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squad or representative of a Great Noble House do anything further to challenge the decision of the Central Forty-Six and threaten the security of the artifact, they will answer directly to _me._ Is that understood?"

The assembled Soul Reapers nodded in unison, with even Rhaegon and Torrence bowing their heads. Soi-Fon's gaze remained on the two of them, though, and for good reason; there was more than a glimmer of defiance in their eyes even as they publicly submitted to the Head Captain's demand.

She glanced over at Yoruichi, who gave her a very small nod; she'd caught it as well. Superficially, the meeting might not have accomplished anything since the Nalatarin remained firmly in the hands of Squad Twelve, but over the years Yoruichi had taught Soi-Fon how to comprehend the less obvious outcomes of these official gatherings. Soi-Fon had been an eager student, and her strict attention during her mentor's lessons was serving her well now. The Starmont Clan's proposal hadn't come from nowhere, nor had Captain Drakken's seemingly sudden willingness to go along with it despite his prior arguments. There was clear coordination between the two men, and Soi-Fon was certain that extended beyond just them.

The Drakken and Starmont Clans had typically gone after their own interests first and foremost within Soul Society politics, yet the behavior of Squad Ten and Eleven's Captains indicated a potential shift in the game. The wolves of the north and the dragons of the east had signaled mutual support in this matter. Would this be a one-off event, or the start of an enduring alliance? What did it mean for the Soul Society?

Soi-Fon wasn't so sure she wanted to find out.

….

"That was reckless of you," said the figure in the black cloak as Rhaegon paced back and forth in his office, "Even more so than usual. Risking your standing to fight against an outcome that was already preordained… I expected better than this."

Rhaegon shot a glare at the advisor that he was coming to resent more by the minute. "The Drakken Clan has the strongest claim to Menar Issilaya's Nalatarin. It's ours by right!"

"Many things are your family's birthright," the advisor replied, "but from _my_ understanding of the situation, your claim here was tenuous at best. The Head Captain has a clear appreciation for the value of that artifact, and an eye towards the balance of power. It would be out of character for him to risk disrupting it by going against established precedent and handing it over to any of the Great Noble Houses. If you thought otherwise, then clearly, I've overestimated your ability to read others. Your pride still has far too tight of a grip on you, and it's clouding your judgment. I thought I told you to be mindful of your feelings so that you could make a clear assessment of your tactical and strategic options."

Rhaegon slammed his fist into his desk. "That's easy for you to say; it wasn't _your_ family being insulted in there!"

"I come from a clan that's every bit as prideful as yours," the advisor calmly countered, "I know full well how it feels when your family has been so clearly slighted. There is a difference, though, between properly defending your family's honor and being carried away by it. Your father understands that distinction; it's why he remains head of the family, and why your elder brother remains his favorite to succeed him. He may not be as powerful of a warrior as you, but he has a keener eye for the big picture. You would do well to emulate him."

Rhaegon scowled. "And yet my elder brother's 'keen eye' apparently wasn't passed on to his daughter."

The advisor folded his arms. "Are you _still_ sore about that? You need to alter your thinking. Your niece's position in Squad Two does not make her a traitor to the family. Rather, it makes her a potential intelligence asset, one that you and the rest of your family should be cultivating. The cold-shoulder treatment the clan has given her since graduation has been counterproductive."

Rhaegon forced himself to take a deep breath. His advisor had a point, but he couldn't bring himself to act on the proposal just yet.

"In time, she'll be given a chance to come back into the fold," he said, "However, she must first learn to appreciate the consequences of her actions. Once she has come to realize that Squad Two just cannot offer her what her own family can, then she will be ripe for plucking."

Beneath the cloak, his advisor shook his head. "I would move sooner rather than later, but ultimately it is your prerogative. In the meantime, I would counsel against any further action regarding the Nalatarin. I know the clan as a whole is still fuming over the matter, but it would really be best to move on to other issues. We know it will be in Squad Twelve's vaults and that other Great Noble Houses will not have access to it. Your family may not reap an advantage here, but neither do the others. For the moment, maintaining the current balance of power serves our interests and presents ideal cover while we slowly build up our resources."

Rhaegon's eyes narrowed. "And while you continue your private hunt for this 'Sealed King' you're so obsessed with? I thought I told you to stop chasing myths."

"What I do with my private time is my own concern," the advisor coolly shot back, "I'd argue that it will serve to greatly benefit us in the long-term, but if you're going to be so dismissive of it despite the ample evidence to the contrary that I've discovered in your family's archives then I'm not going to waste my breath. I have my pursuits, and you have yours. Neither are in conflict with each other, so there is no need for fuss."

Rhaegon rolled his eyes. "Fine, then feel free to waste yet more precious hours in the estate library. Do you have any other pearls of wisdom that you feel the need to give out?"

"No, but I do have a question," said the advisor, "Your father has only established a tentative private channel with the Starmont Clan, yet if what you've told me about today's meeting is accurate it would seem you've been doing work on your own to create an alliance. The proposal for the artifact made by Squad Eleven's Captain; it wasn't at the suggesting of his family at all, was it? When did you two hash that out?"

Rhaegon smiled. "My _other_ advisor has counseled me to take initiative when it comes to building an alliance between our families. I felt that it would be more productive to move early than wait for endless back-and-forth messages in the dark to finally bear fruit, and Captain Starmont was remarkably receptive to cooperation in this matter. Now that a working relationship has been established with him, I think father will find that cementing an alliance with the rest of the family will be considerably easier."

There was a moment's pause before the advisor gave his thoughts on the matter. "I see. Making that contact and an agreement like this is a positive first step, but I fear you may have moved too soon. By taking action like this, you tipped off everyone at that meeting to the fact that you and Squad Eleven's Captain are moving into political alignment. Anyone with eyes sharp enough to recognize that will begin to take a closer look at your respective clans, monitoring for similar movement. At such an early stage, we cannot afford additional scrutiny."

"You let me worry about that," Rhaegon scoffed as he headed for the door, "Have fun chasing dusty old legends in the library."

"Where are you going?" asked the advisor.

Rhaegon smirked as he looked over his shoulder. "You said your private time is your own concern; well, mine is mine. Enjoy your reading."

Closing the door behind him, he swiftly made his way through the Squad Ten barracks. If any of his subordinates saw his advisor it would raise some uncomfortable questions, but fortunately the cloaked man had proven quite adept at slipping in and out without being noticed.

 _I have already partaken from the wisdom of one advisor…_

 _…so, let's see what the other one has to offer._

….

Night had fallen as Squad Ten's Captain strode up to the very tip of the ledge at the end of Sōkyoku Hill. For the premier execution grounds of the Soul Society, it was under little if any surveillance. After all, the place only saw use for carrying out death sentences on those condemned for particularly severe crimes; for the vast majority of time, it was unoccupied, little more than a prominent landmark in the heart of the Seireitei. The Stealth Force's Patrol Corps did keep watch over the base of the massive outcropping, along with the connecting Senzaikyū holding area, but they didn't typically monitor the top of the hill itself unless it was execution time. As Captain, he could come and go as he wished, and the man he intended to meet likewise had the same leeway. Of course, said man would be taking measures to disguise his real identity, but even then, it wouldn't be much of an issue; after all, that man had proven just as adept as his first advisor at slipping in and out of places unnoticed.

He looked up at the gargantuan scaffolding and the enormous halberd that comprised the Sōkyoku itself. The titanic instrument of execution never failed to impress; after all, it _did_ possess the raw power equivalent of a million Zanpakutō when it was released. However, its seal could only be undone by members of the Kidō Corps acting in concert, which was why the weapon was not guarded. Besides, anyone with rare combination of jaw-dropping stupidity and raw power required to release the Sōkyoku by themselves would quickly come to regret it as the weapon turned on and destroyed them. Like the Nalatarin that was at the heart of the current storm roiling the Soul Society's nobility, the Sōkyoku only allowed itself to be wielded on the behalf of users it recognized as legitimate. For all his strength and pride, not even Rhaegon would dare to attempt such a foolhardy endeavor as usurping the Sōkyoku for his own ends.

There was a faint rustling of robes on the wind, and he knew the man he was meeting with was behind him. "A bit late, aren't you?"

"My apologies," replied a smooth male voice, "I'm afraid it took a little longer than I had anticipated to get away from my Captain."

The man joined him at the ledge. Like his first advisor, this one chose to obscure most of his features with a cloak as well, although this one was white instead of black. Not much about him was visible, safe for just the tip of a Zanpakutō's handle poking out from the robes. The man kept his power subdued, but Rhaegon wasn't blind; even when it was suppressed, he could sense that it was far more than his official rank would suggest. In that light, it was only natural that they had sought each other out. Both were fed up with the current status quo and stagnation of the Soul Society, and both had the ambition and vision required to challenge it.

Rhaegon shrugged. "Well, no matter. It's not like I had a full schedule this evening."

"Perhaps, but your day was certainly quite eventful," said the cloaked man, "Word's already spreading about what seems to have been a rather contentious meeting. I take it things didn't go the way you had hoped?"

Rhaegon all but spat out his answer. "Understatement of the century! The old man and those dotards of the Central Forty-Six would deny us our rightful inheritance just to maintain their own power. The artifact will waste away in the vaults of Squad Twelve while those with the power and vision required to actually use it can only gnash their teeth at the stupidity of it all."

The cloaked figure chuckled. "I've always enjoyed your flair for the dramatic, although it seems it did not serve you so well today. Still, I wouldn't say it was a total loss. At least we know where the artifact will be kept. That information's valuable all on its own."

Rhaegon nodded. "Captain Hikifune even offered Torrence and I a chance to visit her division's barracks to witness their security measures up close. An empty conciliatory gesture; she'd never let anyone she didn't consider a close and trusted friend or her own subordinates into the vault itself, and neither of us fit those categories. In the end, we'll just be led to stare at a door."

The cloaked figure shifted ever so slightly, and when they spoke it was with an intrigued tone. "An invitation to Squad Twelve's barracks, you say? You haven't full-out declined, have you?"

Rhaegon's brow twitched in irritation. "No, but why would I even bother with an answer in the first place? As I said, it was an empty gesture on her part."

"She made that gesture at an official meeting," the cloaked man reminded him, "It's on the record, and if neither of you said 'no' to her there then I'd say that invitation is still open. You should take it."

"What would I possibly gain from it?" asked Rhaegon.

"A greater understanding of Squad Twelve's security surrounding not just the Nalatarin, but their high-value artifacts in general," the advisor pointed out, "Knowledge is power, and _that_ particular bit of knowledge would have great value, wouldn't you agree?"

Rhaegon smiled as he followed the man's train of thought to its logical conclusion. "Yes, it would. I'll reach out to Captain Hikifune tomorrow; she never misses an opportunity to showcase her division's work. Even without having put the offer on record at the meeting, there's no way she'd say no to this."

The cloaked man nodded. "Quite so. I'll wager that there are quite a few items that would prove useful to our plans down there in addition to the Nalatarin. Knowing what sort of defenses surround them will make it easier for me to retrieve them when the time comes."

Rhaegon chuckled. "That confident in your ability to sneak in and out of anywhere you please, eh? Well, given the power you've shown me so far, I suppose I can't blame you. Your Zanpakutō has a _very_ useful ability. I must say, I'm rather envious."

The lower bit of the cloaked man's face was visible, and a small smirk appeared. "The envy of a Captain? My, my, consider me flattered."

"Hardly flattery," Rhaegon countered, "Not when it's true. I should've reached out to you so much sooner. Your counsel has been much more effective than that of my other advisor. I'm beginning to question why my father insists on retaining him."

"His caution is not unwarranted," replied the cloaked figure, "but his timetable strikes me as excessive. Yes, patience is required, but hardly a century's worth. Your clan will have what it is rightfully owed well before then. Of that, I have no doubt."

Rhaegon grinned. "If we had some sake to share, I'd be raising my glass right now. Rest assured that once we've assumed our true place in the Soul Society, your contributions will not be forgotten. Name a reward, and it will be yours."

"I look forward to that day," said the advisor, bowing his head.

Looking out over the Seireitei, Rhaegon gave a sweeping gesture. "One day… it will _all_ be ours. We will bring about a new golden age, the likes of which not even the glory and splendor of the old kingdom can compare to. This whole rotten structure will be swept aside, and all who have held us back will be cast down! The Soul Society will never be the same!"

The cloaked figure raised his head…

…just enough for his glasses to glint in the moonlight.

"Yes… it certainly won't be."

….

 **One week later…**

Yoruichi wrinkled her nose as her disheveled Third Seat sat down across the desk from her. "You look like shit… ugh, and you _smell_ even worse! Seriously, when was the last time you bathed?"

Kisuke gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that. I got so caught up in that research project you gave me that everything else just fell by the wayside."

Yoruichi shook her head; she really should've expected as much. "Figures. Seriously, though, it's not like you were out in the field that whole time. I know my parents weren't exactly thrilled with you setting up shop in the family archives, but they _did_ have guest accommodations prepared for you. Did you use _any_ of them?"

Kisuke shrugged. "I studied, ate, and grabbed the occasional nap. That's about it."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "Why do I even bother? All right, as soon as we're done here, you're going to wash up and then get a solid eight hours of sleep. That's a direct order, you got that?"

Kisuke chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."

Yoruichi leaned forward as her Third Seat pulled out a rolled-up map from his bag and unfurled it over her desk. "So, what did you find?"

"Some leads to pursue," he replied as he pressed down on the map to flatten it out, "Unfortunately, they're pretty spread out."

That was a major understatement. Peering over the map, Yoruichi saw about a dozen or so locations that had been circled in black ink by her Third Seat. They were scattered across the Soul Society, and the fact that there were so many was a considerable cause for concern.

"How'd you get all of these?" she asked, "There are only four wraiths left; you should only have four hidey-holes marked on here."

Kisuke sighed. "Believe me, I wish I was able to narrow it down that precisely. The records I found indicated multiple proposed entombment sites for the wraiths, and it was hard to find enough clues to pinpoint which ones they ultimately decided on. In the end, these are the ones I thought were the most plausible."

Yoruichi noted the black X over Menar Issilaya; at least one could definitively be ruled out, although it was small comfort when compared to the vast amount of ground they had to cover. "I see… damn it. I should've known it wouldn't be that easy."

Kisuke nodded. "We've got our work cut out for us, that's for sure."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed as she studied the map. "North, south, east and west… they really spread 'em out."

"A few of them are pretty close to the borders of the various Principalities," Kisuke pointed out, "We should see if the Great Noble Houses will lend their private forces to the search. It'd save us some time."

Yoruichi agreed, although she had reservations. "I'm all for that, but some of them might not be willing to play nice at the moment. Things are still pretty dicey with the nobility right now, especially when it comes to the Drakken and Starmont Clans. Those two probably aren't in the mood to cooperate with our division at the moment."

"Have the Head Captain lean on them," Kisuke suggested, "He got them to back off when it came to the artifact, right? No reason why he can't nudge them into playing ball here."

Yoruichi shook her head. "That worked because it involved a matter within the Seireitei itself; his power in the political arena is at its peak here. It's a different story out in the distant Principalities. Sure, they'd have to acknowledge any request he makes officially, but privately they can do plenty to slow-walk any real aid. The Kuchiki and Shiba Clans should go along with us, and I can guarantee we won't have any problems with my family on this, but the north and the east are going to be a hassle."

Kisuke sighed. "Well, that bites."

"No kidding," said Yoruichi, "As it is, even with help from three out of the five Great Noble Houses, we're still looking at a _lot_ of ground to cover. It wouldn't be enough to just locate the tombs; we have to confirm whether or not they're still occupied. Sure, we've got plenty of scouts, but how many of them would be capable of fighting their way out of a horde of wights if things go south? Soul King help them if they actually run into an escaped wraith…"

Kisuke's eyes narrowed. "It took you, Soi-Fon and Itachi just to take the weakest one down. The remaining four are significantly stronger… if we're going to hunt them all down in one operation, we'd need multiple Captains to take part in the mission."

"Yup," Yoruichi grimly confirmed, "and that's the tricky part. I don't know if we'd be able to secure that kind of a commitment. The Head Captain understands how important this is, but it's not like we have infinite manpower. I know the Academy's trying to broaden the recruitment net, but the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are still stretched pretty thin. This might be something we have to tackle piecemeal."

"Got any ideas?" asked Kisuke.

Yoruichi nodded. "I'll run what you found by the Head Captain tomorrow. At the very least, he'll want us to get started on eliminating sites from the list you've compiled. I can get a Hell Butterfly out to my parent's estate tonight, and from there they can send a message to my family's ancestral homeland. That way we can at least get our local forces on the move and have them investigate the sites closest to our borders."

Kisuke scratched his chin. "How quickly do you think the old man will want to move on this?"

"There aren't any other real pressing matters at the moment," Yoruichi answered, "Manpower issues aside, there's no reason why we can't get a jump on this. Of course, it's one thing to check out static locations. If any of the wraiths actually _have_ broken loose and didn't stick around like the one we dealt with did, then our job gets a _lot_ harder."

Kisuke shook his head. "That's been bothering me for a while now; why _did_ the one we encounter stay at Menar Issilaya after it had broken free? Sure, I can understand it slaughtering the people of the city that it was imprisoned in as revenge, but why stick around after that? It could've gone anywhere and wrought all sorts of carnage. Why remain where it was originally entombed?"

"It could've wished to keep a low-profile," Yoruichi suggested, "I mean, the old kingdom gave its most elite warriors the task of hunting the five of them and their master down. Maybe it didn't want a repeat of that experience."

"But it had a whole army of wights at its disposal," Kisuke pointed out, "It could've done a ton of damage, not to mention raise even more wights with each slaughter committed. We would've had to send more than just an elite group of hunters after it; we're talking a significant number of Soul Reapers to deal with a problem like this."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Look, your guess is as good as mine right now. I'd like to think that if any of the other four broke free we'd have heard about it by now, but if they're following the same pattern and staying put then that wouldn't necessarily be the case. The areas they're staying could've become corrupted like Menar Issilaya, but if they were entombed in remote locations then it would probably take a while for anyone to notice, if at all. For all we know, the one sealed beneath the Moon Tower could've been the exception rather than the rule."

Kisuke nodded. "Sealing in remote locations to limit collateral damage makes more sense, and from what I found in your family's archives most of the proposals were along that line. However, sealing beneath a populated area like Menar Issilaya _did_ ensure that the tomb would have a steady supply of guards. The seal was ultimately broken thanks to a Menos Grande attack; without that, it's highly unlikely the wraith would've gotten loose."

"Right," Yoruichi replied as her eyes darted over the map, "Still, most of the locations you've marked here are remote ones. Either the old kingdom set up dedicated garrisons at these sites, or they were _very_ confident in the power and duration of their sealing spells. Maybe both."

Kisuke smirked. "Only one way to find out. All we need is for the old man to give us leave to hunt them down."

"I'll let you know when that comes," said Yoruichi, "In the meantime, you're back on Maggots' Nest duty."

Kisuke smiled. "I'm sure the inmates have missed me."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "Well, you can have fun with them after you've bathed and gotten a decent night's sleep. Off with you; the longer you stay here, the longer it's going to take me to air this room out."

Kisuke nodded and departed, leaving Yoruichi looking down at the map on her desk.

 _We've got a lot of work ahead of us, but at least we know where to start, and we have a powerful new trump card in our arsenal. Itachi, you'd better train hard with your Sharingan and Shikai._

 _I have a feeling you'll have to put them to the test sooner rather than later._

….

 **Four days later…**

Squaring off with Itachi, Visaelya drew her sword. "I'm ready."

Itachi unsheathed his blade as well, although he didn't immediately assume an opening stance like she did. "Are you sure you wish to do this again? You're under no obligation to."

Visaelya appreciated the offer, but she felt otherwise. "I want to understand the power you and Shisui have. If I'm going to help you investigate potential Shinobi in the Soul Society, then I need to have proper comprehension of these 'Kekkei Genkai' that manifest in certain families from your world. What if we run into another Uchiha that happens to be hostile? You two will be able to deal with them properly, but I won't. I have to do this."

Standing off to the right to act as referee, Shisui looked more than a little concerned. "We both appreciate the dedication you've shown for helping us, but you don't have to put on a front. Even though we had your permission, I know the first time we put you under a genjutsu shook you up pretty badly… and things haven't gotten much easier for you since then."

Visaelya took a deep breath; he wasn't wrong there. The first time Itachi had taken her and Shisui to Yoruichi's secret training ground beneath Sōkyoku Hill after they'd had a bit of time to unwind in the Seireitei after their mission, they'd given Visaelya a sampling of what they could do with their Sharingan. It had started as just a series of sparring matches where they'd copy her movements, and while she'd found it eerie Visaelya had also seen it as a unique and exciting challenge to train against.

When they'd decided to escalate and explained the concept of genjutsu in-depth to her, Visaelya had been more than a little nervous, but also curious. Illusion-type Zanpakutō weren't entirely unheard of in the Soul Society, but illusions cast through magical eyes instead were something else altogether. Despite her apprehension, she'd been quite eager to experience it. However, her anxiety had only grown when the two young men insisted that she give explicit permission and had promised her to keep things mild for her first go; she had started privately questioning just what she was getting herself into if the two of them were taking things this seriously.

Her first opponent to use this Sharingan-based genjutsu against her had been Shisui. As he'd promised, he'd kept things simple. The two of them had sparred, and in the end the illusion had been quite tame, all things considered; when it looked like he might parry one particular strike, her sword had passed through his blade as if it weren't even there, and a second later Shisui's form had grown blurred before vanishing like a mirage in the desert. She'd then felt the tip of his blade come to rest at the back of her neck a moment later.

It hadn't been the sensation of cold steel that had unnerved her, nor had it been the knowledge that if the match had been a real life-or-death fight, she would've been dead before she'd known what had hit her. Rather, it had been the realization that she hadn't been able to tell at all when she had been ensnared in the illusion. Up until the moment where her blade had gone through Shisui's as if it were naught but air, the fight had played out like any other sparring match, save for the fact that the eyes looking back at her in this match were the crimson gems of the Sharingan. Had Shisui trapped her in his spell from the moment the duel started, or had he drawn her in over the course of the fight? At what moment had her perception of reality been hijacked and warped to the aims of her opponent? The fact that it had all looked and felt real until it suddenly wasn't had been _deeply_ unsettling, and further matches with both Shisui and Itachi under similar conditions had only further impressed upon her the ominous nature of the power her two friends wielded… and just how easily it could be abused.

Despite her fears, though, her trust in the two of them had not wavered. Each time before a match began, they would explicitly ask if she wanted them to use the hypnotic powers of the Sharingan, and they would not proceed until they had a definitive answer. She was their friend, and the fact that they placed such a heavy emphasis on her giving her consent before proceeding with these types of training sessions was evidence of how highly they valued that friendship. It was very comforting, and only reinforced her belief that joining Squad Two rather than her family's division had indeed been the right choice.

She gave them both a warm smile. "I'm grateful for your concern, but my answer remains the same. If I can't recognize when I'm caught in an illusion, then I won't be of any use to the two of you should we have to fight someone from your Realm of the Living that specializes in them. Let's do this, genjutsu and all."

Itachi nodded, bringing his sword up to a guard position as his onyx eyes became glowing rubies. "Very well, then."

Shisui raised his right hand, held it upright for a moment, and then brought it down in a chopping motion. "Begin!"

Visaelya lunged forward, determined to seize the initiative and keep Itachi on the defensive for as long as she could. Her theory was that if she made him focus on reading her movements with the Sharingan, she'd give him less of a chance to utilize the hypnotic powers of his eyes. At the very least, she wanted to see if she could force him to delay casting a genjutsu on her for a minute or two.

She pressed hard, hammering his defenses with a series of powerful overhead blows. Each impact of her blade on his was comforting; it told her that she was fighting the real him, and not an illusion.

At least, she _hoped_ that was what it meant.

After the scare she'd gotten from the first match, Itachi had advised her to avoid making eye contact with him and Shisui in order to keep herself from getting ensnared in an illusion. This had very much proven to be a case of easier said than done, though; her natural instincts as a fighter inevitably drew her gaze towards that of her opponent in order to try and read their intentions. Fighting against that instinct had been an uphill battle, and even after several matches she would inevitably make that critical mistake. It was so ingrained in her that even as she consciously guarded against it, she would suddenly find herself making eye contact without even realizing it. That split second or so was all Itachi and Shisui had needed to put her under their spell, and by the time Visaelya had become cognizant of her error the match was already over.

So far in this match, though, she'd been able to keep from making that mistake. She'd only made eye contact with Itachi before Shisui had signaled the start of the fight, and the two of them had given their word that they would only cast their genjutsu when the duels were actually underway. If she could just keep her gaze focused anywhere _but_ his eyes, she might just be able to make a good showing for herself this time.

 _Remember, the rest of his body will offer clues_ , she told herself, _Posture, muscle tension, balance; you've trained since before the Academy to look for those signs._

She altered her attack strategy, going low and striking at his legs in an effort to unbalance him. His blade intercepted hers in a silvery flash, but she was still on the offensive. Her sword lashed out in a rapid-fire sequence of thrusts, with Itachi deflecting or sidestepping as circumstances dictated.

She went even lower, aiming for his feet now, but instead of trying to fend off her strike Itachi leapt over her. Visaelya whirled around, but in her haste to keep track of him her head naturally came up, and a moment later she found her gaze locked with that pair of crimson beacons. In desperation, she lunged at him, hoping against hope to land a strike before he could ensnare her.

It was too late. That mere fraction of a second had been all Itachi required, and rather than her blade meeting his it passed clean through. Itachi dissolved in a flurry of black feathers, and Visaelya swore she heard the cawing of crows for a moment. That wild notion passed from her mind a second later as she felt the cold steel of Itachi's Zanpakutō come to rest against the left side of her neck.

"Match!" called Shisui.

Visaelya sighed in frustration as she lowered her blade. "Damn it!"

"You did quite well," Itachi consoled her as he sheathed his sword and his eyes went back to normal, "You're aware of how your natural instincts work against you when fighting against someone like Shisui and I, and you're looking for alternatives. Further training will hone that self-awareness further, and eventually you'll be able to face us fully prepared for our genjutsu."

"You were on the right track," Shisui added, "Focusing on lower body attacks helped to reduce your chances of making eye contact. Your mistake was that you went _too_ low, though. Once Itachi was airborne, your instincts were always going to be much harder to fight as you tried to regain sight of him. He was counting on that."

Visaelya shook her head wearily. "In other words, I was baited. You played me."

"We only said we would go easy on you when it came to the illusions themselves," Itachi reminded her, "Everything else remains fair game."

Visaelya laughed bitterly. "Right… I should've expected as much from former Shinobi."

"Try focusing your attention on my feet next time," said Itachi, "By that, I don't necessarily mean aiming at them with your sword. Rather, keep your gaze low and watch my footing. It'll feel strange at first, but eventually you'll be able to get a good read on my actions and intentions through focusing there, and it'll minimize your risk of inadvertently making eye contact."

Visaelya nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. That's definitely going to take some work, though."

"Why don't we take a break?" Shisui suggested, "We've been here for quite a while now. Visaelya, I know it might not feel like this, but you've really made a remarkable amount of progress in a short amount of time. Be patient and don't give up; Itachi and I are both going to do everything in our power to train you so that you can hold your own against people like us should the need arise."

Visaelya smiled as she sheathed her sword. "I'll hold you to that… and a break _does_ sound nice right about now. How about some tea? My treat. Consider it thanks for all the work you two have been putting in lately to help me train."

Shisui grinned. "Tea sounds nice right about now. What do you think, Itachi?"

The two of them turned to him, and Visaelya was puzzled by how he was looking around the cavernous space that was the training ground. He seemed distracted, although by what, Visaelya couldn't say.

"Itachi, you still with us?" asked Shisui.

Itachi nodded, although Visaelya saw him glance briefly at a column of stone off in the distance. "Yes… why don't the two of you go without me this time? I'd like to stay for a while longer to train with my Shikai."

Visaelya saw his gaze meet Shisui's, and he gave the Tenth Seat a very small, almost imperceptible nod. Shisui's eyes widened ever so slightly, and for a moment he glanced at the same column of stone Itachi had looked at earlier. Was Visaelya missing something here?

She was about to speak up when Shisui began moving towards the exit. "All right, then. Don't work too hard. Come on, Visaelya; if we hurry, we should be able to beat the dinner rush at that teahouse by the barracks."

Visaelya looked back and forth between Shisui and Itachi, but the former didn't seem particularly worried about the latter. In the end, she decided not to press the matter; if it was something truly important, she trusted the two of them to talk to her about it.

"Okay," she said as she moved to catch up with him, sparing one last look over her shoulder at the Sixteenth Seat, "I'll see you later, Itachi."

….

Once Shisui and Visaelya had left, Itachi turned back to the stone column he'd been eyeing earlier. "You were welcome to join us, you know."

Laughter sweeter than the finest wine rang out, and none other than Yoruichi stepped out from behind the rock formation. "Found me out, eh? Nicely done! When did you first sense me?"

"Just before my last fight with Visaelya," Itachi replied as she approached, "I suspect you actually entered the training ground significantly earlier, though."

Yoruichi shook her head. "No, it actually was only a couple minutes before that match. Here I thought I had suppressed my spiritual pressure to the point that you wouldn't pick up on it. Your ability to sense spirit energy has come a long way. You'd be able to give most Lieutenants a run for their money now."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you. Why stay silent, though? We would've been more than happy to have you participate in our training as well."

Yoruichi smiled as she came up to him. "That's sweet of you, and I'm sure you mean it, but I also know you're smarter than that. _You_ might welcome me as a training partner, and Shisui probably would as well, but Visaelya? She's much more formal and uptight when it comes to the hierarchies of both the Soul Society aristocracy and the Thirteen Court Guard Squads than the two of you. I'm all for an informal attitude most of the time, and you and Shisui go along with it nicely, but it's a different story for Visaelya. I could tell that she was relaxed with the two of you; it wouldn't be the same if I was present."

"She trusts you, just like we do," Itachi argued, "She understands how you run things."

Yoruichi sighed. "I'm sure she does, but I also know that it goes deeper than that. You were talking earlier about her instincts working against her when it came to facing the Sharingan; the same goes for social interactions as well. She sees you and Shisui as friends and peers, even if you both outrank her. When it comes to _me_ , though, she tends to stiffen up a bit. It might not be noticeable at first glance, but the signs are there if you know how to look for them. Nothing against her, but I like being able to let my hair down with my training partners.

She then gave him a predatory smile. "Besides, I was hoping to get you all to myself. I've been so busy dealing the fallout from our mission that I haven't been able to break away until now. You're going to help me let off some steam."

"What did you have in mind?" Itachi asked, the pace of his heartbeat ticking up ever so slightly.

"You told the others that you were going to practice with your Shikai," she replied, "Is that still the plan?"

Itachi gave her a small smile. "Care to join me?"

Yoruichi grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."

 **Author's Notes:** I had originally planned to do Itachi and Yoruichi's sparring match in this chapter, but I figured I'd taken long enough on it as it was, so it'll what kicks off the next one. Besides, I do so love teasing my audience and ending things on a cliff-hanger! I know the past few chapters have been Itachi-centric, and the next one's going to be as well, but after that I'm going to shift the spotlight around; Jiraiya needs more love, and he's going to get it!

Since this apparently still needs to be said, if you've got questions about the status of the next update, just shoot me a PM, okay? I don't mind answering, and as long as I'm not at work I'll get back to you pretty quickly.

Sorry for the delay on this one. Balancing three fics, while fun, definitely isn't easy. Life's been a bit of a hassle too in that sense, although things are looking up. I'm getting my passport paperwork taken care of so I can renew it, been saving up some serious paid vacation time that I'm shooting to use this fall with a month-long trip to Japan! Got all the money saved up, just need to get the red tape cleared and all my bookings made. So yeah, fun times hopefully ahead!

Hope you all liked the chapter! Please review, and I'll see you next time!


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